Sussan Lari by OZ World Media LLC

Sussan Lari Architect PC MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE This meticulous architect stays true to three design tenets when creating custom, dream homes in the Tri-State area: imagination, harmony and mystery.

ARCHITECTURE LEADERS TODAY

T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R C A P TA I N S O F I N D U S T R Y www.architectureleaderstoday.com

northeast | custom homes

PROJECT TEAM TRADES AUDIO/VIDEO CONSULTANT Sound and Vision CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Tompko Construction Corp. ELECTRICIAN Calabrese Electric FOUNDATION & CONCRETE Versa Contracting Co., Inc. FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING AM Shield Corp. FRAMER Ozkal Contracting Corp. GARDEN LIGHTING Lubo Lighting International, Inc. HVAC CONTRACTOR Phoenix Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc. KITCHEN CABINETS Nissan Woodworks, Inc. LANDSCAPER Landscape Techniques MASON Mazur Masonry, Inc. OUTDOOR KITCHEN Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet PAINTER Painting & Decorating, Inc. ROOFING CONTRACTOR Baschnagel Bros., Inc. SECURITY A-Uneeda Security SLAB CONTRACTOR Stone Crafters International, LLC STONE TILE INSTALLER Bristol APM, Inc. TRIMMER Pami Construction Corp. VACUUM SYSTEM Built-in Vacuum Systems WATER FILTRATION H2O Pro WOOD FLOORING Wood Floor Star, Inc. WROUGHT IRON RAILINGS Jozef Custom Ironworks Vaclav Metal Craft, Inc.

custom homes | northeast

Making

dreams come true

MATERIAL BATHROOM FIXTURES & FAUCETS Kolson, Inc. Waterworks BRICKS Imperia Masonry Supply Corp. CUT STONE Champlain Stone, Ltd. DOORS North Shore Window and Door, Inc. LIGHTING Enterprise Lighting Sales WINDOWS MQ Windows Pella Windows & Doors STONE & CERAMIC TILES Walker Zanger Fancy Fixtures, Inc. WOOD MOULDINGS Old World Mouldings, Inc.

Architect Sussan Lari boasts an impressive background in large corporate design, but now makes dreams come true by designing custom homes with a whimsical inflection. by Paige Hill

July/August 2011 3

northeast | custom homes

custom homes | northeast

rchitect Sussan Lari, president and founder of Sussan Lari Architect PC, has taken to high aesthetics with her unique firm that specializes in custom homes within the Tri-State area. With a keen eye for design, Lari approaches each new project with a freshness of perspective that speaks to the individual character and personality of her clients. While motivating her clients to uncover their uniqueness every step of the way, Lari stays true to her own design philosophy, which she has built around three fundamental terms: imagination, harmony and mystery. “Imagination must play a major role in the design process – I leave my mind open to every possibility before even sitting down to the drawing board,” Lari said. Having graduated from the Urban Design Program of the University of Pennsylvania with a double master’s in architecture and planning, Lari has not always been in the business of designing dream homes. Lari, who founded her own practice in 1992 with partner Farhad previous spread: Brookville, NY. The entry courtyard of the home enclosed on two sides by the house, one side by stone piers and the other by a stone wall. The meticulously chosen outdoor lighting highlights the natural stone façade and provides a welcoming atmosphere for guests. left: A view of the Brookville home’s outside multi-leveled living complex including the pool, outdoor kitchen, seating area, fireplace and dining area gazebo. ABOVE: View of backyard through the covered passageway. All photos by Peter Rymwid.

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northeast | custom homes

Mechkat, made the decision six years later to forgo designing for the corporate world for the more personalized world of residential architecture. Having once designed for companies like KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, US Tobacco, PepsiCo and Exxon Office Systems, Lari realized that commercial projects did not provide her with the same sense of personal gratification that residential ones did. She described a feeling of disconnect in her corporate work - while her clients were in charge of the company pocketbook, they were seldom users of the finished space. “For many, building a house is the investment of a lifetime,” Lari said. “As with any big investment, the stakes are high and trust is essential. This is a responsibility that we take very, very seriously.” In the domestic realm, Lari felt it easier to impact lives with architecture through a more personal connection to both clients and the building process. She has become committed to fulfilling not only the functional needs of her clients, but also realizing their hopes, passions and dreams at a realistic level. “My intent is to create a space that brings art into everyday practicality,” Lari said. “Our goal is to unite aesthetic and functional features into a harmonious composition.” Essential to her process is an interactive relationship with clients, which allows her to coordinate their aspirations with her aesthetics. She described this balance as pivotal to the successful translation of their wishes into her design. clockwise, from above: View of kitchen complete with two islands, and cabinetry and hood custom-designed by the firm and fabricated by the team. View of Library, connected to the living room by a French door to be used as an extension of the living room. Built-in cabinetry is custom-made. View onto one of four bedrooms from the bedroom hallway. Large linen closet is accessible from all the bedrooms.

custom homes | northeast

NORTH SHORE WINDOW & DOOR

erving luxury homes throughout the northeastern United States for over 15 years, Long Island, NY-based North Shore Window & Door is a supplier and installer of high-end windows and doors. Visit any of their three showrooms that showcase top of the line brands such as Fleetwood, Kolbe, Loewen, and MQ Windows. Sussan Lari has completed several Kings Point, NY projects utilizing MQ Windows and the services of North Shore Window & Door. According to North Shore Window & Door, their experience with her firm has been as consistently positive as Sussan’s exceptional architectural designs. Sussan’s incomparable attention to details has made North Shore’s job as her window and door supplier extremely pleasurable. She has facilitated both client and subcontractor meetings in her office that are both highly organized and well administered in a professional environment. North Shore Window & Doors appreciates with enormous pride the opportunity to partake in the realizations of Sussan Lari residential designs, and they look forward to continuing their longstanding relationship for many years to come. For more information visit www. northshorewindow.com or call 631-285-7333 for consultation with one of North Shore’s experienced professionals.

View from the master bedroom anteroom into the bedroom hallway.

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northeast | custom homes

Lari’s role, however, never ends with design development. Her projects involve a close collaboration with artisans, tradesmen and craftsmen from a vast range of backgrounds and specialties. “During the actual construction phase, we act on numerous levels with specialists and consultants,” Lari said. “We promote a work environment where all consultants act as members of one team.” Her “it takes a village” approach to the architectural process is perfectly exemplified by a custom high-end home the firm recently completed in Brookville, N.Y. The exterior of the home, for example, boasts four sizes of custom-cut Vermont stone in two shades. Similarly toned, handmade brick is woven into the matrix of varying stone cuts to create a subtlety nuanced exterior that is unified into a harmonious overall appearance. “Working closely with craft specialists, my intention when hand-selecting custom stone and brick was to create a sense of alluring mystery through textures, and not necessarily through color,” Lari said. Adding to the overall mystery of the home is the unexpected way in which it may be entered. An artfully designed courtyard greets the visitor first, before the home. Although large, the courtyard remains distinctly cozy, as it is enclosed on two sides by the house, on one side by landscape piers, and on the last by a stone wall. From there, still no main entrance is visible; however, a door has been placed discreetly to the side. One then continues under a brick archway and through a wrought-iron gate to arrive into a huge backyard designed for outdoor living.

custom homes | northeast

SOUND AND VISION

ince 2004 Sound and Vision’s team of professionals have been designing, engineering and installing sophisticated audio, video and automation solutions throughout the Tri-State Area and South Florida. Sound and Vision’s customized solutions are easy to use and up to date as new technologies appear. With top notch support services and extensive knowledge regarding home technology, architects and homeowners alike choose Sound and Vision for connecting their homes.

clockwise, from above: View of the master bedroom with custom-designed carpet. View of master bathroom with free-standing clawfoot tub and custom-designed wrought iron picture window. View of master bathroom including the toilet room, shower and steam bath. Close up of window seat and cabinetry in the master bedroom.

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northeast | custom homes

“Clients are looking to create a lifestyle when they come to us; my form follows function, but also allows room for opportunity. I want my clients to explore their needs and desires while working with us to create something uniquely beautiful and, at the same time, full of possibilities,” Lari said. Lari emphasized outdoor living by creating not only a courtyard, but also a backyard complete with swimming pool, dining room, paved barbecuing deck, outdoor kitchen, fireplace and plenty of room to lounge. Multiple levels allocate the space, which allows the differentiation of areas with distinct functions without the need for dividing walls. Although the end result had effortless beauty, the creation of such a space was only possible after much work. Lari was faced with the difficult task of taking a long, very narrow stretch of land and turning it into a site where the entire family could gather. As the land came with an impossibly sloped topography, a center plateau was constructed for Lari’s design to be possible. With stone walls on one side and a beautiful panoramic view on the other, the backyard retains a strong sense of privacy as well as coziness. On the outskirts of the plateau there is a four-foot drop, which was necessary for the construction yet beautifully incorporated into the design as an intimate walkway. The walkway circles around the whole length of the property and creates interesting garden walks, all with a view. Staying true to her three tenets of design – imagination, harmony, mystery – Lari’s attention to detail and commitment to perfection come together to create a uniquely artistic space in the Brookville home. Lari’s humanistic approach to custom home design is the perfect recipe for creating space where people enjoy lives, children grow and families flourish. ALT

custom homes | northeast

Phoenix air conditioning & heating, inc.

s the 17th most populated island in the world, ahead of countries like Ireland and Jamaica, Long Island, N.Y. is uniquely situated near New York City as one an incredible blend of metropolitan sensibility matched with suburban and sometimes rural appeal. Similarly, Phoenix Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc., one of Long Island’s leading installers of HVAC systems since 1969, has remained unique in the scope of their experience, dedication and value. The firm, founded in 1969 by Paul Scholz, Sr., has been the premier installer of YORK® HVAC units dominating both the residential and commercial markets. “We were established and incorporated in Huntington, N.Y. by my father,” said Paul Scholz, Jr., who currently serves as President and Owner of Phoenix Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc. “His impeccable work ethic lead to 19 years of successful business. After retiring in 1988, he turned over his responsibilities to me. As president of Phoenix Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc., I have expanded on the foundations that my father established, to continue a larger, successful business.” Having worked with prestigious architecture firms, such as Sussan Lari Architects for many years, Phoenix Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc. brings together the network, the talent and the vision needed to bring the details of a project to fruition. Their work in humidification systems, air purification systems, indoor humidification system and just about every conceivable system under the HVAC umbrella succeeded through their fostering of a proper environment that rewards talent and hard work. Largely due to their constant and long term presence in the region, reinforced by a reputation for quality, timely work, many of the firm’s clients today have been their clients since the firm’s first years in business.

above: View of the entrance hall and gallery. View of the gallery facing the library. opposite: Garden walk surrounding the house.

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Serving luxury homes throughout the northeastern U.S, for over 15 years, Long Island, NY-based North Shore Window & Door is the east coast servicing Dealer and Factory-Certified installer of Fleetwood Aluminum(USA) high-end windows and doors. Fleetwood has committed its resources to manufacturing high quality, custom products specifically for those concerned with Green sustainable development. Architect Sussan Lari has recently utilized Fleetwood’s “Minimalist” modern innovations in projects under the technical sales and installation services of North Shore Window & Door. Lari’s incomparable attention to details has facilitated North Shore’s job as her window and door supplier. North Shore Window & Door appreciates the opportunity to partake in Sussan Lari’s designs, and to continuing their relationship for many years to come. Visit any of North Shore’s three showrooms that showcase top of the line brands such as MQ Windows, Loewen, Kolbe & Kolbe, Marvin and Fleetwood Aluminum. For more information visit their website, northshorewindow.com, or call 631-285-7333 for consultation with one of North Shore’s industry-leading experienced professionals.

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northeast | architectural products

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Window Works

LuAnn nigara and partners know that paying attention to the details can elevate window treatments and awnings to an art. by Joel Cornell

ince Window Works opened in 1982, business partner LuAnn Nigara, has been adamant in their approach to the trade market: “We take our commitment to the designers and architects that hire us on behalf of their clients very seriously,” Nigara said. “It is our obligation to look at each project from all angles, so the designer can be confident that this part of their project will run smoothly from start to finish.” Nigara, her husband Vincent Nigara, and their cousin Bill Campesi have worked together to provide the trade and retail market with the finest in custom window treatments and awnings. Product offerings include draperies, valances, cornices, blinds and shutters. Featured vendors include Durasol Awnings and Hunter Douglas Window Fashions. Their talent for creating reality from inspiration has contributed to the long standing relationships they enjoy with many of the leading New York Metro area designers and architects such as Sussan Lari Architects, with whom they have enjoyed a 20-year business relationship. “We have three objectives when working with the trade market: the practical application of the product, the quality of the product and the protection of the designer’s reputation with their client,” Nigara said. “When we meet these criteria the project will be a success for all involved, the designer, the end client and us.” Nigara meets the designer’s objectives each time by participating at every level of the project — at concept meetings, walk-throughs at work sites and by providing profesional installation of every product they sell. Campesi and his team of installers work on every installation, nothing is subcontracted out, ever. The company’s work with Sussan Lari Architects exemplifies Window Works’ expertise and commitment to provide their clients with dedicated, attentive service. “Currently, we have several projects in the works with Sussan Lari,” Nigara said. “Her attention to detail and her talent for creating exceptional spaces is inspiring. We always enjoy working with Sussan and her team and we are proud to help her deliver to her clients superior design, unparalleled quality and extraordinary execution. We hold the integrity of our products, our services and our relationships in the absolute highest regard.” ALT 14 Architecture Leaders Today

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regional marketplace | northeast

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For over thirty years, Landscape Techniques, Inc has grown to be one of New York’s premier, award winning luxury design/build landscape firms. In this time we have developed a solid base of customers who readily recommend us to their friends and family. We pride ourselves on our unique designs, quality installations and custom service.

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