White, bright, light, & tight, this is a 3,000 SF 4 bedroom 2-1/2 bath urban-duplex-loft-space for a very young family of 4.
The upper level is communal space, featuring a wall of windows facing south and east. The kitchen is tucked around the corner from the entry, allowing the dining and living spaces to breath-in the sunshine and provide a wide open play space. The dining / living south wall has a continuous storage bench that conceals kid's toys. Bedrooms are located on the lower level, reached by a sculptural spiral stair.
Although at first glance the space does not look kid-friendly, the home was designed with family, play, and the production of art in mind. Much of the furniture (and even one of the toilets) is kid-scale. At the bottom of the stairs is another open play space, leading to a designated toy / art room.
Storage is a key element, provided by built-in cabinets, which allow a place for everything and everything in its place. Organization is important and the client was very hands-on throughout the design and construction process. The artwork in both the master bedroom and powder room, as well as some in the kid's rooms was created and composed by the client. She also designed the dining room table, selected the light fixtures, and all of the furniture.
The project was an integrated collaboration between architect, client, and contractor.