Park Avenue Duplex

Surgery Series

In residential projects, de-spec believes that architecture, interior design and decoration must reflect the client’s lifestyle. Following a radical functionalist approach, the Surgery series utilizes a strategy of personalization according to specific programs designated by the client, rather than stylistic biases on the part of the designer.

The name of the series refers to a practice employed by de-spec, in which incisions are made into the floor plan of a home to reconstruct the circulation and flow of space in a way most suited to the lifestyle of a particular user. The process entails a series of interviews and observations which provide a reading of the client’s values and needs. This reading translates into a design strategy which fundamentally sculpts the experience of lived space.

Surgery #9 (Park Avenue Duplex):

A more traditional aesthetic for De-Spec’s portfolio, the renovation of this Park Avenue Duplex adapts a large, pre-war apartment to comfortably suit the needs of a modern family with three children. The central challenge here was to add two private offices (both parents work from home) and oversee expanding the kitchen to function as the core of the home. De-Spec’s surgical solution was to remove a wall in the kitchen to connect to the dining room, creating an expanded living space with banquet seating and a large island in the center.

The living room was divided to make room for an office and library. It featured a fireplace and bookshelves, and provided a quiet room for the family, away from the television in the den. Spanning two floors, the four bedroom, three bathroom apartment includes a living room, dining room, kitchen and upstairs den. The upstairs maid’s room was converted into an office, with barn doors separating it from the landing and foyer, but allowing a parent to remain connected to the children and their activities throughout the home. This project was commissioned by a repeat client.

Press/Awards:

Runner-Up, Innovation in Design Award, Architecture and Kitchen, NYC&G, 2013