Manhattan MicroLoft

West 73rd Street, Manhattan, New York, NY, United States

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Other Projects by Specht Novak

Recreation and Athletic Center

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Manhattan MicroLoft

West 73rd Street, Manhattan, New York, NY, United States

Firm

Specht Novak

Type

Residential › Private House

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2011

SIZE

0 sqft - 1000 sqft

BUDGET

Undisclosed

What was once a tiny, awkward apartment at the top of a six-story building is now a multilevel, functional home. The existing apartment had only 425 square feet of floor area but a height of over 24 feet. By utilizing this height, we created a flowing, platformed interior while maintaining open, vertical space.

The strategy was to create four stacked and interleaved “living platforms.” First is the living area, then a slightly elevated kitchen with an ultra-compact bath tucked under the stairs. These stairs lead to a platform bedroom with a cantilevered bed hovering over the main living space. Another flight of stairs leads you to the top floor – a roof garden with windows that allows light to cascade through the house.

“All the spaces flow into one another, and the idea of distinct rooms is dissolved.”
– Marc Kristal, The New York Times

Every inch of the apartment is put to use, with both sets of stairs featuring built-in storage units like that of Japanese kaidan-dansu. The apartment itself is crafted like a piece of furniture, with hidden and transforming spaces for things and people alike.