During the building conversion to residential use, the apartment was awkwardly laid out and the quality of construction was also quite poor. Another major problem was the location of the master bedroom suite between two mechanical floors that generated vibrations and noise. We addressed the last problem by acoustically isolating the bedroom, much like one would a recording studio.

We reconfigured the entry area to create a gracious experience and a setting for the client’s two grand pianos. All of the finishes in the apartment were replaced, with the goal of enhancing the light and airy atmosphere created by the abundant fenestration.

Floating wall-mounted shelves help link the kitchen and the living room and give character to a formerly ill-defined connector space.

The naturally lit dressing room also serves as a passageway from the master bedroom to the master bath; the closets are concealed behind sliding high-gloss lacquered panels.

In the generous master bath, the blue glass wall of the shower provides a striking visual counterpoint to the other surfaces and creates the illusion of watery depth. The floor is clad in large slabs of pale-blue engineered stone.

The entry area, while open to the main living space, is given definition by a floating dropped ceiling and high-gloss lacquered panels in a deep color complementing the pianos.

The sensation of being inside a wraparound city view is experienced everywhere in the apartment.

In the generous master bath, the blue glass wall of the shower provides a striking visual counterpoint to the other surfaces and creates the illusion of watery depth. The floor is clad in large slabs of pale-blue engineered stone.

The shape of the bench that we designed for the entry area is inspired by piano curves. The bench is fabricated of visually weightless clear acrylic anchored by the minimalist geometry of the polished stainless steel base.

The living space at the heart of the plan transitions into the kitchen and dining room to the south. The long and narrow footprint of the south wing dictates the layout, while allowing the master suite to be a private precinct – an apartment within an apartment – with its own secondary entrance. The wider but shorter wing to the east of the living room has less impressive views and is given over to the home office and guest bedroom.