2003
This apartment in a Landmark building was designed for a wheelchair-bound individual with advanced multiple sclerosis. The client wanted a seamless space that eased transitions from one room to another while providing enough wall surface to house his extensive art collection. In addition, state of the art technology is integrated into the high-end finishes and details throughout the apartment automating most daily tasks. In order to provide for the automation, numerous sensors were installed in the walls to provide automatic, hands-free, operation of everything from doors to the telecommunications, HVAC, light- ing, and audio-visual systems via a chip that can be clipped to clothing or mounted on the wheelchair. “Hands-free operation” includes both voice commands and pre-programmed automatic commands triggered simply by the client’s presence. All of the technology is completely concealed; the dominant aesthetic of the apartment is a sleek minimalism. As a result, we had to find solutions that met both the aesthetic and technical requirements. For example, the client requires his environment to be colder than the system could provide throughout the entire apartment at any one time. We worked with the Mechanical Engineer to create a system that enabled the automated controls to be programmed to sense the client’s presence and provide greater capacity to the room he is in, automatically compensating at other areas. The living room features a home theater with finishes of stone and fabric skillfully blended with quarter figured sycamore veneer, bleached and dyed resulting in a unified elevation. Automated controls along with a high-end audiovisual system allow for a complete transformation of the space from living space into screening room. The master bedroom suite includes a dramatic bathroom. There is also a ceiling-mounted “Surehands” lift system to provide mobility within the master bedroom and bath without having to use a wheelchair. Using that system, the client can traverse the entire suite without the assistance that transfer to and from a wheelchair would require. Other finishes in the apartment include honey onyx at the powder room, integral color plaster at all public areas and bleached and stained maple flooring. There is a multitude of lights that work with an integrated dimming system to provide different scenes throughout the day.