8 minute read
Diamond in the house
from CCR Issue 6-2022
Bendheim SatinTech™ glass brings light and color to a central work area.
NYC office renovation sparkles with treasures from renowned artists
By Thomas Renner
Renowned firm Hariri & Hariri Architecture, co-founded by sisters Gisue Hariri and Mojgan Hariri, is known for its cutting-edge projects, which include a unique blend of architecture, art and interior design elements. For a 3,000 square foot office renovation in New York City, the sisters displayed an extensive collection of artwork to make the project pop.
SIBA, a prominent gem dealer and real estate business, sought to redesign its offices, occupying an entire floor and incorporating three independent businesses, into one all-encompassing workspace. Artworks by Ellsworth Kelly, Josef Albers and Louise Nevelson were among the beautiful artifacts already in the space. The Hariri sisters’ design took advantage of these artistic assets to further enhance the new look. “We have always challenged the unexpected and traditional way,’’ Gisue Hariri says. “To us, architecture is an inventive, experiential and poetic field. We are interested in pushing the boundaries, standards and banal approaches to design that exist in the industry.” To do so for this project, the architects relied on treasures existing and new. Creating a Coherent Whole
SIBA’s office stands in the heart of New York’s Diamond District. The fourth-generation family-owned business sells, leases and manages real estate properties through two of its subsidiaries, while another trades diamonds. Edward Abram, the son of prominent color-diamond dealer Sam Abram, looked to re-launch the company after the loss of his father. “The goal was to create a coherent whole of their three independent businesses in a distinctive architecture and brand, while also creating a timeless, healthy and inspiring environment to work in and be surrounded by art,’’ Gisue Hariri says. The office required a total gut renovation, and in taking the walls down to the concrete slab, multiple existing art pieces emerged. Modernist prints and silkscreens by famous artists were uncovered. New pieces by prominent artists including Keith Haring, Andy Warhol and Alexander Calder were added to the collection. The architects sought to make the office like a cut jewel, paying homage to SIBA’s long history in the Diamond District. “We also wanted everyone to have the views of New York City, to enjoy the skyline and natural light,’’ Gisue Hariri says. The challenge, however, was to achieve those objectives while keeping the space secure. Rare and expensive diamonds are located within the office. The architects needed to piece together a plan that included reception areas as well as workstations, offices, a conference room and a jewelry viewing lounge.
Light floods the office kitchen. A wall of Bendheim SatinTech™ glass lets it through to the interior.
A custom reception desk pays homage to the client’s diamond trading business. “Puzzle Man” provides dramatic focus for a corridor.
“We created an art gallery out of the airlock spaces, and with installing transparent bulletproof doors created a visual continuity,’’ Gisue Hariri says. “Architecturally, the plan of the main office area is organized around a central open space with a series of private offices and meeting rooms on the perimeter. We created a bright, airy and tactile central space that is inspiring, dynamic and a comfortable place to work in.”
Project Linchpin
With all the caveats of the project, the architects needed to be precise in every choice for their materials palette. One of those choices included Bendheim SatinTech™ etched glass to establish privacy while allowing natural light to enter the central space. The glass resists fingerprints and staining, diffuses light, reduces glare and minimizes reflections. “Large frameless sliding doors and panels along the perimeter offices needed to be tempered for safety and etched for privacy,’’ Gisue Hariri says. “We also wanted a maintenance-friendly surface unlike coated, sandblasted glass.”
SatinTech™ etched glass is frequently specified for commercial office projects. The glass can also be back painted or illuminated for wall cladding applications and can be laminated in combination with an extensive range of color interlayers, prints, and other etched and textured glass varieties. “We have used Bendheim glass in our residential and commercial projects,” Gisue Hariri says. “The quality, variety, dependability and size are what makes Bendheim products special.” The architects also incorporated other existing assets to create the healthy design that they wanted. A wraparound terrace serves the entire floor with unobstructed views of the Gotham skyline. An outdoor area allows for convenient dining and includes a meditation garden.
Hallways serve as an art gallery, with seating areas for conversation.
— Gisue Hariri, Co-founder, Hariri & Hariri Architecture
City views and modern art create a feast for the eyes.
Award-winning Sisters
The SIBA office renovation is among the many artistically inspired projects created by Gisue Hariri and Mojgan Hariri, who came to the United States from Iran in the 1970s and opened their firm in 1986. In the male-dominated field of architecture, the sisters have distinguished themselves for their innovative work. “Not much has changed in the field of architecture over the years,’’ Gisue Hariri says. “Architecture is still male-dominated. For two women who are partners and sisters with a practice in New York City, the doors were always closed for trophy projects, awards, lectures and recognition. We expected all of these from the Islamic Republic, but not in the United States. It is shocking to see gender bias, sexism and racism in the professional fields.” Only 17% of registered architects are women, according to the American Institute of Architects. When they started their business, only about 4 percent were women. The sisters’ projects include luxury residential developments, hotels, single-family homes and high-tech, high-concept experiments. They have won multiple awards, including the “2015 American Architecture Award” from The Chicago Athenaeum Museum and the “Academy Award for Architecture” from the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Letters. Inducted into Interior Design Magazine’s Design Hall of Fame in 2006, they also received the Career Achievement Award from the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans. The New York City Diamond District gem is another project that adds brilliance to their resumé. “Our projects are unique, our concepts are different and our dedication has been rewarded,’’ Gisue Hariri says. “Being women has contributed to our work philosophy, vision and approach to architecture. Being different is an asset, being a woman is a gift, and being Iranian is a cultural strength.” CCR
Project at a Glance
What & where: SIBA Corp/SIBA Residences, a 3,000 square foot remodeling project in New York City.
The challenge: The client asked HARIRI & HARIRI ARCHITECTURE to create a plan that renovated the space of three distinct and independent businesses while also keeping it secure—one of the businesses is a prominent gem dealer—and was also “timeless, inspiring and healthy.”
The solution: Gisue Hariri and Mojgan Hariri are known for their innovative design. For this project, they took advantage of artistic objects and features of the space to create an office that transforms the office into a warm, welcoming art gallery that includes a combination of home-like features with distinctive visual elements.
Lighten up: The project includes SatinTech™ etched glass from Bendheim, which resists fingerprints and staining, diffuses light, reduces glare and minimizes reflection. Frameless sliding doors and panels along the perimeter offices are tempered for safety and etched for privacy.
Did you know? In creating the artistic appearance, the architects used pieces by Ellsworth Kelly, Josef Albers and Louise Nevelson that were already kept on the premises.
A full wraparound terrace provides access to the outdoors.
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