Studio St Portfolio by Esther Sperber

Buildings and Dreams 2003 - 2014 Studio ST Architects

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 5

Table of Contents Studio ST Architects

Public Buildings 6 14th Street Y Renovation 14 Kesher Synagogue 18 Fort Tryon Synagogue Renovation 22 Off the Wall Stockholm Public Library 26 32 Prague Library 38 Mediatheque 42 Tel Aviv Art Museum New Wing Housing 46 State Street Townhouse Swell House 50 Slice House 56 60 Curve Townhouse Interior Renovations 64 535 West End Ave 72 Duplex for a Bachelor 78 West Village Duplex 82 Upper East Side Duplex 86 Manhattan Duplex Combination 90 800 West End Avenue Urban Design 94 Hoboken 9/11 Memorial 98 Quebec Administrative & Cultural Center 102 Awards and Publications 104 Esther Sperber, Experiance and Resume 110 Design Approch and Firm Capability

Studio ST Architects www.studio-st.com Studio ST Architects is a full-service architectural firm located in Manhattan that is dedicated to exploring the embedded logics of materials and structures to generate new spatial experiences. We believe in innovative and responsible design and are intrigued by computer technologies that change design and production methods, striving to apply these tools in creative ways. Studio ST has recently completed the renovation of the 14th Street Y and is currently designing the Kesher Synagogue in Englewood, New Jersey – an 18,000 square foot, $4.5 million new building. The firm has also completed many residential projects, ranging from high-end apartment renovations to lower-budget real estate developments. Among these are an apartment building in Brooklyn, a number of duplex combinations in Manhattan, and several single family homes. They are also committed to exploring low-budget, innovative, sustainable designs such as their Off the Wall exhibition for the Jewish Museum, the Slice House and the Swell House. Studio ST’s work has been published extensively in magazines and monographs in the US, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Of particular note was their selection by Wallpaper* magazine in August 2008 as one of The World’s Top 50 Young Architectural Practices and Architectural Record’s selection of their Swell House for “Best Unbuilt Houses” of 2008. They regularly participate in open and invited competitions and were finalists for Mediatheque in France and the Hoboken 9/11 memorial. Their competition entry for the Prague National Library was selected from over 500 entries for the semifinal round and they had the winning entry for the Kesher Synagogue. This year we were selected for the Best 40 under 40 exhibition in Tel Aviv, Israel. Esther Sperber founded Studio ST Architects in 2003 after working at Pei Partnership Architects for more than five years during which she had the privilege of working closely with Mr. I M Pei. She was born and raised in Jerusalem, Israel. She graduated with a degree from the Technion and came to New York in 1997 to complete a master’s degree in architecture at Columbia University.

14TH STREET Y New York, New York COMPLETED - October 2009 CLIENT - 14th Street Y AREA - 11,000 sq. ft. COST - $690,000 Architects - Studio ST Architects & Z-A Studio Project Managers - SĂŠamus Henchy and Associates MEP - Goldman Copeland Associates Acoustic Engineers - Cerami and Associates Code Consultants - CODE LLC Contractor - Technetek LTD Photograper - Bilyana Dimitrova

14TH STREET Y

left exisitng facade floor plan

Construction on the renovation of the 14 Street Y Community Center began in early June was completed in October 2009, on time and on budget.

right proposed facade organizational diagram

The renovation includes a new entry lobby, fitness center, locker rooms and offices. The scheme conceptualizes the building as a series of sandwiched bands of multiple programs. The goal was to enhance the biggest asset of the Y as a community facility: its diverse multigenerational and multi-ethnic user base. As such, the design eschews typical institutional uniformity. The different patterns, colors and materials imbue each programmatic space with a distinct look and feel, all in a cost-conscious manner. On the ground floor, the lobby, fitness center, locker rooms, office, fitness studios, showers and pool are reorganized as a series of parallel bands. As users move through the different spaces, they experience the variety of happenings that animate the building. For the entrance lobby, an “East Meets West” pallet was chosen, drawing on the raw grunge of the East Village and the Y’s Jewish link to the Levant. This is achieved by colorful patterns such as the blue and yellow cement floor tiles, a field of different-sized circular fluorescent lights, hanging 4-foot diameter acoustic tiles and bright yellow 100% recycled plastic lobby furniture.

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Legend

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14th Street

13th Street

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1. Entry Vestibule 2. Entry Lobby 3. Elevator 4. Security Desk 5. Reception Desk 6. Waiting Area 7. Gallery 8. Fitness Entrance 9. Fitness Office 10. Stroller Parking 11. Office 12. Fitness 13. Stretching Area 14. Hallway 15. Pool Entry 16. Family Changing Room/ ADA Bathroom 17. Women’s Locker Vestibule 18. Women’s Locker Room 19. Men’s Locker Room 20. Women’s Drying Area 21. Men’s Drying Area 22. Pool 23. 13th Street Entrance

10ft

left lobby before renovation renovated lobby right locker room before renovation renovated locker room

left offices before renovation renovated offices right fitness center before renovation renovated fitness center

KESHER SYNAGOGUE Invited Competition - Winning Entry Englewood, New Jersey DATE - June 2008 CLIENT - Kehilat Kesher AREA - 18,000 sq. ft. COST - $4,500,000

KESHER SYNAGOGUE Inspired by the Hebrew meaning of the community’s name, Kesher, meaning both Connection and Knot, the building is a continuous spatial band tying together the three main programmatic spaces. The Sanctuary, Social Hall, and Chapel are unique moments expressed along this band of lobbies and circulation spaces. These three volumes are clad with a second ribbed skin which wraps around the main lower wood volumes, allowing directed and filtered light through the building’s ribs. The synagogue functions are distributed on a “split level” structure which takes advantage of the site’s ten feet slope. The three half levels minimize the need for excavation and maximize the daylight and access to the exterior from all three levels. These half levels allowed all spaces to be accessed with ramps, as well as stairs, eliminating the need for an elevator which is not typically used on the Sabbath by Orthodox communities such as this. The building is designed to minimize energy consumption both by the site and orientation of its massing and windows, as well as by a series of accessible and nonaccessible green roofs. The spatial bands link the indoor and outdoor in many instances encouraging a seamless flow of people and activity from the inside out.

left upper floor plan lower floor pan rear view right aerial view sanctuary interior view

fort tryon SYNAGOGUE RENOVATION FORT TRYON JEWISH CENTER New York, New York DATE - 2011-2012 CLIENT - FTJC AREA - 16,000 sq. ft. COST - $4,500,000

FORT TRYON JEWISH CENTER The Fort Tryon Jewish Center initially contacted SST after signing a deal with a developer that involved a complicated zoning transaction to allow for a condominium to be built behind the synagogue in exchange for renovating the 50 year old building. The developer demolished the interiors only to discover that he was unable to finance the continuation of the work, leaving the client with an unusable building. The client retained SST’s services to review the developer’s design and assist them in determining their needs and improving the plans. Realizing the value of SST’s input they requested that SST be hired as the Interior Architect. We redesigned the sanctuary, social hall, classrooms and public interior spaces creating a new, clean and functional design reflecting the client’s identity and needs. The original sanctuary design dated from the sixties reflecting the hierarchical, formal and frontal attituds of the time. Our design transformed the space into a more democratic, community centered space. We introduced a “skylight” made of an LED light sheet that creates a focal point over the center of the room, the location from which the prayer is lead. Special attention was given to making the room feel intimate despite its capacity to hold over 400 congregants.

above existing sanctuary and social hall below social hall rendering

above section perspective below social hall rendering

Studio ST Architects

FTJC Sanctuary Section

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OFF THE WALL EXHIBITION The Jewish Museum New York, New York COMPLETED - March 2008 CLIENT - The Jewish Museum AREA - 15,000 sq. ft. COST - $15,000

OFF THE WALL Constructed out of art packing materials, the design for “Off the Wall” follows the concept of the exhibition where traditional materials – the museum’s permanent collection, or it’s music archives - are recycled and reinterpreted to create new works of art. Similar to the way the art reinterprets the content of the museum, its art collection, the design reinterprets the context of the museum, its art handling and shipping. The foam and cardboard from the back rooms of the museum are brought to the front of the house and into the space of the gallery, giving new meaning to the internal mechanisms of the museum. In a literal extension of the exhibition title, the design provides only ‘Off the Wall’ platforms for the display of the art as well as the artists at work. Three different materials were used in the three galleries responding to the type of art in each space: The Pixilated Mattress - A landscape of gray foam blocks, for the sound artists and a lounge space. The Pedestal Mountains - A tactile series of pedestals from white ester foam, which heighten the materiality of the fashion design and multimedia art display. The Display Canyon - A cut through layers of honeycomb cardboard, displaying both flat-screen media and projected art along with the artists in a continuous, intimate exhibit. Exhibition design is one of the more extreme cases of short lived architecture. As such it provides an opportunity for integrating the life expectancy of the project as a driving force for the design. The before and afterlife of the project become crucial participants in the design process where the use of ephemeral materials (the foam and cardboard) merely shift the matrix of the routine operations of the museum.

left floorplan display canyon pedestal mountains right pedestal mountains pixalated mattress entry

Stockholm Public Library Open International Competition Stockholm, Sweden Date - October 2006 Client - City of Stockholm Area - 250,000 sq.ft.

Stockholm Public Library Site and Context The Asplund building is one of Stockholm’s important architectural landmarks and connecting to such a building requires attention at all scales. The new building leans forward to touch the Asplund library making a significant and noticeable yet respectful connection between old and new. Hanging Structural System When looking for intelligent structural solutions we sought to use the inherent structural logic of the library – the bookshelf. Instead of creating a building and filling it with book structures (shelves) why not use the book structure as building structure? This programmatic structure combined with the site constraint led to the development of the overall structure: eight large cores support a three-meter high space frame off of this preliminary structure a dense grid of 1x2 meter steel cables is suspended. This grid extends throughout the building to support everything from the façade to the book shelves. The cores shift from their original grids to keep a six meter distance from the subway tunnel below grade. Programmatic Distribution & Structural Typology The library serves three types of occupants - media & books, the public and the library staff. Each of these occupant groups has a unique spatial typology and functional needs. The heart of the library is the mass of book storage areas located from the third to sixth floors of the new building as well as in the main rotunda of the Asplund building. The density of the grid allows us to minimize the diameter of rods creating a delicate lattice of supporting structure throughout the building. The public reading halls are inserted large span spaces within the mass of book stack areas creating a dramatic 2-3 floor high cathedral for reading. Offices are cantilevers off the west facade and the ground floor and the second floor of the new building house the public spaces.

above site plan left space typology models: book collection offices reading hall right view of Asplund library and addition structural diagrams

left office renderings reading hall rendering right plans section

Czech National Library Open International Compeition, Semi-Finalist Prague, Czech Republic DATE - September 2006 CLIENT - City of Prague AREA - 50,000 sq ft COST - $10,000,000 Architects - Studio ST Architects & Z-A Studio

CZECH REPUBLIC NATIONAL LIBRARY The Prague National library serves three types of occupants— books, public and staff. Each of these occupant groups has a unique spatial typology and functional needs. The heart of the library is the mass of book storage areas located in the center of the building from the second to the 12th floor. Its placement allows for protection from the exterior air and light. Wrapping around this heart are the support areas which include all the offices, workspaces and labs. Within the collection storage areas are suspended the publicly accessible spaces that include the reading halls, the main lobby and the theater and lecture halls on the top floor. Using the bookshelf as the module for the building, the structure is based on a dense grid of columns, 1 Meter x 2.25 Meters apart. The structural column grid supports both the bookshelves and the building as a whole. The office floor plate projects out from the book storage core and creates modulation on the façade, revealing the areas of human activity on the building’s exterior skin. The National Library is also an important institution in the urban fabric of Prague. It is innovative and forwardlooking in its form, but also ties back to early twentieth century Czech cubist avant grade tradition, which was centered in Prague. This design uses simple and logical systems that regenerate, or more often, reveal, the inherent complexity of the world and of human nature. The lattice of slender, structural columns that give form to the Library recall the soaring spaces of the great cathedrals of Prague.

left programmatic study models right buildings renderings

left site plan fourth floor plan second floor plan right model sections

MEDIATHEQUE Restricted Invited Competition Carnoux-en-Provence, France DATE - March 2003 CLIENT - Le Ministere de la Culture AREA - 5,000 sq. ft. COST - $1,000,000

MEDIATHEQUE Rather than lamenting the disappearance of the book, the mediatheque project celebrates the opportunity to use space to experience the spectrum of available information from printed books to digital media and computerized information retrieval systems. In contrast to the traditional library where the books and bookshelves wrap around a room creating the space for reading, contemporary libraries are often an independent grid of shelves organized within a large room. The mediatheque we propose returns to the traditional library concept where there is no separation between the walls and the book; the bookshelves wrap around the exterior surface to create the space. The program called for 500 linear meters of storage space for books, periodicals and other media, such as CD-Roms and DVDs. In order to define the different areas of activity into spaces for adults, children, reading, lectures and offices, we developed a bookshelf strip which was compressed and folded within the space. The bookshelf element acts as both a storage space for books and digital media and a structural wall which encloses and subdivides the space. The wall was constructed by stacking glass and concrete blocks, creating an uncertain boundary between the interior and exterior landscape. The walls blur from a mostly opaque element, protecting the books from the sunlight, to a light, transparent wall where the digital information can be accessed. Parts of the wall act as retrieval devices for digital information allowing the visitor to use the architectural structure and interact with information.

below exterior view study model right floor plan reading room

Tel Aviv Art Museum New Wing Open International Competition Tel Aviv, Israel Date - 2002 Client - Tel Aviv Art Museum Area - 20,000 sq.m. Cost - $40,000,000

Tel Aviv Art Museum New Wing Our proposal for the new wing of the Tel Aviv Art Museum is based on a series of ramps connecting the existing floor level with the different site elevations and the new wings galleries. A simple diagram of ramps and galleries was twisted and stacked to fit the difficult site conditions, creating the complex yet simple to understand form weaving together old and new, the site and the building, the art and everyday life. The visitor can choose from two circulations systems: the ramps which lead them through the entire collection, telling the story designed by the museum curators, or an alternative concrete-core vertical system which allows direct access to each gallery. These cores are reminiscent of the circulation system in the existing building, harmonizing the movement in the old building with the fluid sequence of ramps and galleries in the new wing. Two elongated atria emerge from the shifting and overlapping of the gallery strands. They cross the volume of the museum and sculpt the negative space.

viv Art Museum Wing

iv, Israel

N THROUGH CONCERT HALL

above gallery view form studies below building section right second floor plan ground flooor plan entry view

Tel Aviv Art Museum New Wing Tel Aviv, Israel

UPPER LEVEL PLAN

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LOWER LEVEL PLAN

STATE STREET TOWNHOUSE Brooklyn, New York COMPLETED - February 2005 CLIENT - Saul Bardosh AREA - 5400 sq. ft. COST - $700,000 Architects - Studio ST Architects Architect of Record - Linna Hunt MEP - Motolla Rini Engineers Structural Engineer - Robert Silman Associates Contractor - I J Universal Photography - Avi Keller, Nolan Huizenga

STATE STREET TOWNHOUSE First time developer, Saul Bardosh, acquired 544 State Street after it was vacant and neglected for over two years. Not only did the interiors need to be completely gutted, but a two-story addition in the back of the building had to be demolished. Through close analysis of the zoning law, Studio ST discovered that the owner could enlarge the building by almost 50 percent, by adding 320 sq.ft. to each floor and excavating the cellar. The townhouse was divided into four apartments, one per floor. Each apartment has an outdoor spaceâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;a backyard for the ground floor apartment and a terrace for each of the other apartments. The typical apartment layout includes, on the north side of the building, two bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms, the kitchen and the dining room. The new south side addition contains the living room and an office. The cellar was excavated to create storage spaces, mechanical rooms, a shared laundry area for the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tenants and a recreation room attached to the ground floor apartment. Three skylights were added over the main stair, bathing the previously dark stairway in sunlight. The apartments were designed in a minimal manner, with a great deal of thought put into detailing. Special attention was also given to the usability and functionality of a rental apartment. We are proud of the clean, contemporary look of the apartments, which was achieved while keeping to a low construction budget of approximately $130 per square foot.

State Street Townhouse 544 State Street Brooklyn, New York

below typical floor plan interior view right cove lights south facade skylight

Swell House Highland Park, New Jersey DATE - August 2007 CLIENT - The Khordorkovsky Family AREA - 2,000 sq. ft. COST - $400,000

SWELL HOUSE “A nation deep in denial loves the imitation, pastiche and sameness of look-alike architecture. Additions made with the brain engaged, however, build on the truth that what matters is not looks but meaning. What matters is what the new and the old in their differing expressions say together about the evolving subject matter, the way the new and the old are brought to collaborate across their difference to make vivid what needs to be realized today.” — Paul Byard, Harvard Design Magazine, Issue 23 The swell house celebrates the act of addition and the new forms that may be created in the combination of old and new. The clients desperately needed to enlarge their 900 square foot house to accommodate their growing family. A decision was made to keep the old house and build a new second floor to accommodate four bedrooms. While the plan diagram was simple, the final forms were not. Wrapping the old and new spaces with a new cladding, the two parts meld into a new whole. The mutation is absorbed in the pitched roof structure connecting the existing room and the extension. The joint between the old and the new is indicated on the exterior volumes and on the interior creating a double height space for the entry and stair. The volumes double curvature is built of simplified surfaces supported by a structure of straight lines. Using one of the most ubiquitous suburban cladding materials—the clapboard—we took advantage of the capboard’s rigid appearance and flexibility which allowed it to absorb the slight curved distortion of the volume. This addition resists the trend towards bigger and newer homes typical of the American suburb. The Swell house preserves and uses the existing structure and in so doing keeps the demolition—the biggest contributor to waist in construction—to a minimum. The house is a compact 1,900 square feet, saving on construction materials and on the cost of heating and cooling the space. The house exposures and windows are carefully placed to minimize energy consumption. A double exterior skin maintains the indoor temperature by allowing for natural ventilation between the two skins in summer, or adding another layer of insulation in the winter time.

left site plan existing house below form study models

above lower level plan upper level plan left interior view right interior view exterior view

Slice House Atlanta, Georgia Date - March 2007 Client - Decatur Modern Area - 1400 sq.ft. Cost - $160,000

Slice House The Slice House is a comfortable family home designed for a typical urban infill lot of 25’x 100’ . The total enclosed area is 1400 square feet. In addition, there is a covered carport wedged directly under the house with a convenient stair to the entry foyer. A covered deck on the south side extends the great room, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor living area. The house is an extruded box from which slices were cut to reduce the square footage and create an intelligent and beautiful home. The sum of the slices is a set of spaces simple in their design and materials, yet spatially intriguing. Each window was carefully placed to maximize the home’s connection to nature and light. We chose to use simple materials that have an inherent beauty. The lower level is a combination of exposed concrete floors, white GWB walls, white kitchen cabinets, large glass windows and a few accents of plyboo wood for the short flight of stairs to the kitchen and the coat closet doors. The Slice house is a sustainable home that will significantly reduce the energy costs of the owners while using readily available technologies. The concrete base acts as a thermal mass. The low winter sunlight enters the large south-facing windows of the great room, heating the concrete floor and moderating the temperature changes throughout the day. The high summer sun (79.8 degrees in Atlanta) is blocked by the large roof overhang, allowing the concrete thermal mass to keep the house cool. The exterior SIPs have a high R rating of R-30 for the walls and R-50 for the roof. Low-E coated double glazed windows improve the home’s energy efficiency. A Photovoltaic (PV) panel system can be added for an additional $6500–$10,000 to further reduce energy consumption. second floor plan first floor plan basement floor plan site plan from study models

section exterior rendering

Curve Townhouse Speculative Project New York, NY DATE - April 2007 Area - 6400 sq.ft. Budget - $1,400,000

Curve Townhouse Using the typical row townhouse layout the curve townhouse stands out with its curve terraces animating the front facade. The curved bench extends to the interior creating a flowing connection between inside and outside. The public stair is housed in a curved volume which is the most efficient way to comply with the New York City Code while creating a unique interior space in the apartment. The space and materials are simple, a main public space is a loft like open space with a living room, dining room and kitchen. Two bedrooms face the quiet back yard. The bathrooms are tucked between the curved stair and the supporting exposed concrete wall.

left interior rendering right typical floor plan rear facade front facade

535 WEST END AVENUE New York, NY completed - May 2014 Client - Withheld area - 6,700 sq.ft. Cost - Withheld Architects - Studio ST Architects Contractor - Target Construction Photography - Bilyana Dimitrova

HOUSE IN THE CITY Combining the best of a comfortable suburban home with the sophistication and location of a city apartment, this 6,700 square foot, full-floor gut renovation creates the perfect house in the city. The generous foyer, kitchen, dining room, living room and family room are designed for hosting functions and communal events. On the other side of the home, Studio ST Architects created a large “basement playroom” for the family’s three young sons by combining two bedrooms. A service entry was converted into a mudroom. The design conveys a soft opulence that is at once comfortable, beautiful and functional. Esther Sperber, founder of Studio ST Architects, believes that design is a collaborative process. In order to foster a collaborative design process on this project, the firm created numerous photo-realistic computer renderings of each room. This use of renderings as a design tool rather than their more typical application as a depiction of the final product supported a lively dialogue between the architects and clients and sparked unexpected design possibilities.

plan after

above floor plan below foyer photograph foyer rendering living room rendering right livingin room photograph family room photograph

below kitchen photograph right kitchen photograph dining room photograph pantry photograph

below master bedroom photograph boys’ bedroom photograph right boys’ bathroom photograph boys’ bathroom render

DUPLEX FOR A BACHELOR New York, New York COMPLETED - February 2006 CLIENT - Witaheld AREA - 2200 sq. ft. COST - $1,100,000 Architect - Studio ST Architects Interiors and Decorating - Axis Mundi Structural Engineers - Robert Silman Associates MEP Engineers - Motolla Rini Project Manager - JTM COnstructions General Contractor - Advanced Remodeling Photography - Andrew Garn

DUPLEX FOR A BACHELOR The project is a 2200 sq.ft. duplex apartment in New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Greenwich Village. Although the unit came with incredible views of the city it also presented some difficult design challenges. Typical of postwar high-rises, the apartment had 8 foot concrete slab ceilings, small generic bathrooms, a miniscule kitchen, and linoleum floors. The overarching design goal was to create a series of differentiated spaces, each with its own atmosphere, that added up to a coherent whole. During the design process we used computer generated renderings to explore various design possibilities as well as traditional paper and wood models for quick studies of various areas, such as the stair and the living room wet bar. The principal design element on the lower level (the19th floor) is a new glass and metal conservatory. The exterior wall of the small kitchen was removed to join the kitchen to the conservatory, making a dramatic, yet comfortable space for eating and entertaining. Additionally, a hotrolled steel TV wall with a slot window connects the conservatory with the formal dining room, maximizing the conservatoryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s abundant natural light and spectacular views. Other design elements on this floor include a ruby red lush powder room, a dramatic entry hallway with a wenge wood wall and floating ceiling and a living room wet bar made of wood and glass. On the second floor we focused on the bathrooms, creating a generous master bathroom and updated guest bathroom. Frosted glass panels and sliding doors close off a study area that overlooks the stair. A new handrail and lighting scheme transform the stairway.

above upper level plan lower level plan below dining room right entry foyer photograph

above living room rendering living room photograph right conservatory rendering conservatory photograph

West Village Duplex New York, NY COMPLETED - January 2007 CLIENT - Withheld AREA - 2000 sq. ft. COST - $400,000 Architects - Studio ST Architects Strcutural Engineer - Robert Silman Associates Contractor - I J Universal Photography - Bilyana Dimitrova

West Village Duplex Beauty, simplicity and clarity were the guiding concepts in our work on the renovation of the 2000 square foot West Village Duplex. The lower floor of the duplex was completely gutted only preserving the original wood floors. The ceilings were raised to the maximum possible height, adding light and a feeling of spaciousness previously missing. The color pallet was kept to a minimum in order to accentuate the materials and their inherent properties. White kitchen cabinets with white corian countertops and a nearly white Novelda Crème limestone bench in the living room achieve the minimalism. A few splashes of color were added by using unique materials such as a Spa Green Quartzite floor found in the kitchen and metallic glass turquoise tiles found in the powder room. The new stair has a stainless steel stringer, wood treads and an impressive “hardware-less” glass railing. The stair is lit by a new skylight and a series of glass lights above. At the top of the stair we created an open study with a built-in desk and bookcases overlooking the upper terrace. The master bathroom was finished with Inca Gray stone - a dark consistent gray limestone - and 12”x24” Apavisa Limestone porcelain tile. The master bathroom vanity is a custom piece carved out of the Inca Gray limestone which was made in China and shipped to the site.

left upper level plan lower level plan stair & skylight view right study photograph master bathroom guest bathroom

left floor plans stair and skylighht right study master bathroom powder room

Upper East Side Duplex New York, NY completed - December 2006 Client - Withheld area - 2,000 sq.ft. Cost - $400,000 Architects - Studio ST Architects Structural Engineer - Robert Silman Associates Contractor - I J Universal Completion Photography - Bilyana Dimitrova

Upper East Side Duplex Renovation This renovation combined two apartments into a gracious, functional duplex home for the client. The new plan for the lower level is an open loft-like living space combining a kitchen, living room and dining room. A family room that also serves as a guest bedroom is separated by two large pocket doors. On the upper level there are three bedrooms including a large master bedroom and bath suite. A new, minimalist steel stair will connect the two levels. The stair is composed of a folded steel surface with simple wood treads and a delicate steel handrail. A conscious decision was made to limit the pallet of materials so that the unique beauty of each material will stand out and provide the client with a sumptuous, yet visually understandable interior space.

below kitchen photograph right upper floor plan lower floor plan stairs photographs master bathroom

MANHATTAN DUPLEX COMBINATION New York, NY completed - May 2014 Client - Withheld area - 2,300 sq.ft. Cost - Withheld Architects - Studio ST Architects Contractor - Galcon Construction Photography - Bilyana Dimitrova

manhattan duplex combination This renovation combined two apartments, each with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, into a wonderful spacious foud bedroom home in Manhattan. The design pallet was simple and clean allowing art and life to be highlighed on the muted background.

below upper floor plan lower floor plan bathroom photographs right kitchen photographs stairs photograph

800 WEST END AVENUE New York, NY completed - September 2008 Client - Withheld area - 1,650 sq.ft. Cost - Withheld Architects - Studio ST Architects Contractor - Galcon Construction Photography - Andrew Garn

800 West End Avenue

This update to an existing pre-war apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side combines the owner’s modern taste with the original details and gestures of the 1926 building’s architecture. The new floor plan accomodates modern living by opening the kitchen and transforming the former maid’quarters into a guest suite perfect for a college student. The kitchen, dining room and living room are connected by a series of framed, molded openings giving each space a definition while preserving a seamless flow between them. New baseboards, window moldings and door frames were designed as a contemporary, geometric interpretation of the pre-war style of Upper West Side apartments. Each of the bathrooms was given a unique palette of materials and colors, creating an oasis of calm in the hustle of the city. The original maid’s bathroom was englarged and became part of a comfortable guest suite which includes a bedroom, dressing room/study and a bathroom. A custom mosaic floor in shades of green was designed to recall the Bianco Verde marble on the shower walls. The kitchen was redesigned, creating abundant storage to accommodate the needs of a kosher kitchen. A large central island topped with Corian unifies the space that was originally split by a structural steel column and roof drain. The kitchen island became the cozy heart of the home, embracing the natural tendency to gather around food and drinks. The clients were committed to the idea of sustainability. This was reflected on many levels from the dual flush toilets that conserve water, to the compact fluorescent light bulbs throughout the apartment. Although a central air system was installed, it is to be used only on the hottest days; each room has a ceiling to utilize when possible.

above dining room photograph

below floor plan study photographs right kitchen photograph bathroom photographs study photograph

Hoboken 9/11 Memorial Competition - Short Listed second Stage Pier A, Hoboken, New Jersey DATE - December 2005 CLIENT - The Town of Hoboken COST - $2,100,000

Hoboken 9/11 Memorial

HOBOKEN 9/11 MEMORIAL

Invited Competition Hoboken, New Jersey

In our entry for the invited competition for the Hoboken 9/11 Memorial we wanted to bring back that moment of intense connection between the Hoboken pier and the Manhattan skyline. We proposed a narrow stream of water that would flow along the southern edge of the pier from the city of Hoboken toward the Hudson. The handrail gradually widens as the water traverses the length of the pier, bringing the visitor to the waterfront edge. At the end of the pier, the stream fans out into a still reflecting pool. The Manhattan skyline is reflected on the surface of the water, showing both the glory of human endeavor and the place of the fallen towers. This memorial acts as a symbolic object and a device for visual and emotional reflection.

SITE PLAN

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The names of the September 11th victims who lived in Hoboken are engraved in the stone covered by the shallow water. As the viewer turns toward the site of the World Trade Center, the names gradually blend with the reflection of the skyline. The water, flush with the edge of the pool, slowly flows over the pool edge, passing over the victimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s names, symbolizing the cycle of life and renewal. At sunset, as the sky darkens and the skyline lights up, a series of computer-controlled lights placed under the water illuminate. Organized on a matrix bound by the names of the victims and the years of their birth, the lights change in intensity and pace. The lights pulsate according to specific patterns to commemorate special moments. As the process of mourning is not limited to the daytime, neither are the publicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s encounters with the memorial.

left site plan handrail detail night view right railing form diagram light pattern diagram day view

MONTREAL QUEBEC COMPLEX OF CULTURE AND ADMINISTRATIVE ADMINISTRATION and CULTURAL CENTRE Brooklyn, New York

COMPLETED February 2005 International-Open Competition Saul Bardosh CLIENT Montreal, Quebec AREA - 5400 sq. ft. COST - $700,000 Date - December 2002 Client - Montreal City Planning Department Architects Studio ST Architects Area --54,000 sq.m. Architect of Record Linna Cost - $281,000,000 Hunt - Motolla- Rini Engineers MEP Architects Studio ST Architects & DZO Structural Engineer - Robert Silman Associates Contractor - I J Universal Photography - Avi Keller, Nolan Huizenga

Montreal Complex of Culture and Administration Montreal, Quebec

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Montreal Complex of Culture and Administration For the competition, three large and very different programs needed to be placed within a single site: the Quebec government administration tower, the Montreal symphony hall and a school of dance and music. In order to create an urban language that mitigates the changes in scale and use of the site, the three program elements are organized in a system of parallel bands. While still a cohesive structure unified as a whole, each “band” was given a unique identity by using wood in a variety of ways. The concert hall is clad with a dense layering of horizontal wood strips which glow in the night through intentional light “leaks” creating a shimmering, ambivalent form on the Montreal skyline. A double skin system made of wood and glass is used on the façade of the governmental tower, designed to vary in transparency and the level of light received by the office areas, reception areas and conference rooms. Public circulation zones are inserted between the programmatic bands. A primary public passageway links the three program elements with a courtyard which acts as a meeting and civic space for the three buildings. The surface of the courtyards slopes to interfaces with different elevations along the edges of the site, spaces for outdoor theater and urban activities. This topographic space addresses the acoustical needs of the underground performance spaces. Skylights penetrate the courtyard floor allowing natural light to enter the spaces below.

LOWER LEVEL PLAN

studio|ST

Montreal Complex of Culture and Administration left Montreal, Quebec plan

program diagram government tower rendering right site model section

SECTION THROUGH CONCERT HALL

LONGITUDINAL SECTION

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An Updated Look for the 14th Street Y By Bao Ong October 19, 2009, 3:45 pm In the new entrance lobby at the 14th Street Y community center, bright yellow recycled plastic lounge furniture rests on a cement tile floor under a circular field of fluorescent lights. The M14 crosstown bus rumbles by constantly and the N.Y.U. foot traffic parades into a Papaya Dog or Duane Reade across the street. Situated on the edge of the East Village, the 14th Street Y is not a mecca of culture and community on quite the same scale and prominence as, say, the Upper East Side’s 92nd Street Y. But the 14th Street Y, a Jewish community center that serves people of all backgrounds, has something to boast about these days. After undergoing a $1.2 million facelift in the past year, the community center officially unveiled its newer, modern digs to the public this weekend. “People knew we had to change,” said Stephen Hazan Arnoff, the executive director of the 14th Street Y, which is part of the Educational Alliance, a nonprofit network of community centers that was founded in 1889 as a settlement house. He said of the pre-renovation space, “It looked very, very tired.”

In the new entrance lobby at the 14th Street Y community center, bright yellow recycled plastic lounge furniture rests on a cement tile floor under a circular field of fluorescent lights.

The former space appeared “sad, very mundane” and “like an institution or hospital” with bad lighting, added Guy Zucker, the founder of Z-A Studio, one of the project architects. Mr. Zucker partnered with Esther Sperber, of Studio ST, in renovating one of the Y’s four floors; the center is still exploring ways to finance additional renovations. But the first floor now has floor-to-ceiling windows opening itself to 14th Street, where pedestrians can view the Ikea-like yellows and blues inside, an exposed ceiling with ample lighting, a more expansive fitness room and sleek locker rooms. The 14th Street Y estimates that about 25,000 people pass through its doors each year. The makeover is already attracting new members, Mr. Arnoff said, with nearly 500 people joining the 14th Street Y since July. He figures that about 25,000 different people pass through the Y’s doors each year. “We don’t turn away anyone,” Mr. Arnoff said. “We believe that every time people come here, they form a connection with the community.” For Dr. Jane Katz, a lifelong New Yorker, the Y has become a second home. Her father, Leon Katz, 89, started a swimming program at the center nearly 40 years ago, and today he still swims here two to three times a week.

The 14th Street Y estimates that about 25,000 people pass through its doors each year.

Ms. Katz, a professor of health, physical education and athletics at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, is also a champion swimmer. At the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, she said she swam on a performance team demonstrating synchronized swimming. But while community members use the Y to exercise or drop off their children for classes, it is the sense of community that has attracted people to the center, Ms. Katz said. When her husband died, she turned to friends — and swimming — at the Y for support. “The water at this Y has been my life savior,” Ms. Katz said. Of the new changes, Ms. Katz said, “It was always down home. This one brings it into the 21st century.” The new design aims to function as a community facility for a diverse population, said Mr. Zucker, who explained, “We can enhance community through design.”

The architects envisioned the locker room — along with the new lobby, fitness center, studios, offices, showers and pool — as “a series of parallel bands.”

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PUBLICATIONS The Architect’s Newpaper A BRIGHTER Y November 2009 The Forward TRANSFORMING THE Y November 2009 The New York Times City Room an updated look for the y October 2009 New York Magazine A BRIGHTER Y October 2009 40/40 Exhibition The Architects Center, Tel Aviv July 2009 arq|a DIGITAL PRIMITIVE caterina Tiazzoldi, Eduardo Benamor Duarte June 2009 Interior Design China MATERIALS Paul Coudamy April 2009 Morning Calm IN THE FUTURE Thomas Frey Volume 33 No 1 January 2009 1000x American Architects UPPER EAST SIDE DUPLEX Verlagshaus Braun September 2008 Spaces tHE ULTIMATE bACHELOR pAD Issue #25 August 2008 Wallpaper* 50 World Most Exciting New Architects August 2008 Architecture Plus Smart Environments: A building for Books Issue #19 July 2008

Architectural Record Unbuilt Houses 2008 Architectural Record April 2008 WA ing Six projects by Studio ST Architects Rihan Publishing, Hong Kong March 2008 Mark Magazine On the Drawing Board—SWELL HOUSE Issue #12 March 2008 AP Architecture Page Slice House February 2008 View from the Top Duplex for a bachelor Janelle McCulloch Images Publishing December 2007 Mark Magazine On the Drawing Board—Slice house Issue #11 December 2007 Architectural Record Studio ST—From inside to the ground up By Ingrid Spencer August 2007 Bait Venoy Village Duplex Cover Story By Mia Or March–April 2007 Mais Arquitectura Mediatheque April 2006 Ha’aretz Lectures by dZO Architects By Esther Zanberg April 2003 d’A d’Architectures 16 propositions, pour des mediatheques de proximite Cover Story No 128, April 2003 By Esther Zanberg April 2003

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When Israeli architect Esther Sperber left Pei Partnership Architects to strike out on her own with Studio ST in 2003, she was excited, nervous, and up to the challenge. “Having the opportunity to work so closely with Mr. Pei was amazing,” she says. “It felt like we were dealing with the end of High Modernism. I knew it was a gamble to start my own firm, but I was interested in trying something new, and putting into practice some of the technologies I had learned in school.” That was Columbia’s Graduate School of Architecture, which Sperber attended after moving to New York from Jerusalem in 1997. “There was a huge emphasis in doing those crazy computer-generated blobs when I was there,” she says. “The blobs weren’t that interesting to me, but the technology was. I’m very interested in expanding the pallet of forms, construction methods, and ways of making spaces, as a means of allowing a better focus to try to create places and spaces for human activity and interaction.” Sperber spent her first year on her own sharing an office with another young firm, dZO, and the two practices collaborated on a number of international competition submissions. “Competitions are refreshing and fun,” she says. “Though there’s a side to them that’s a little exploitative, they’re an opportunity to think through design challenges.” After that first year, word of mouth got Sperber interior renovation jobs, and she has been able to put her philosophies and expertise into action ever since, as her two-person firm now has a roster of high-end residential renovations completed or under way, as well as new construction projects for real estate developers. While she enjoys the high-end residential projects’ big budgets,

she’s excited about her latest ground-up projects, including a private house in New Jersey. “It’s a small budget, but with clients who are very open to new ideas. And working with a tighter budget forces you to focus on simplicity, space and light, and efficient proportions.” Efficiency is a big part of Sperber’s design philosophy, which is where her love of new technology comes in. “When anything is cut by a computer-generated machine, you can use smaller pieces and save materials and time,” she says, referring to a home project in Atlanta, Georgia, currently in design called the Slice House, where she will use precut and prewired structurally insulated panels that are attached to one another and don’t require additional stick framing. The home will also have everything in place to easily add photovoltaic panels if and when the client decides to take the next step with sustainability. For Sperber, the next step personally is taking a few months off to have a baby, which she admits is not easy to schedule when you run your own very small firm. With as many projects as she has in the works, however, she’ll be back in the office soon. “There’s nothing like the smell of wet concrete,” she says, “so I know I won’t be away from the joy of making buildings for long.”

Ingrid Spencer

Architects to Watch

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In the ever-evolving era of sustainable building, architectural firms must find ways to align sustainability with a structure’s function and affordability. Through building to LeeDprescribed levels and employing visionary architects and designers, the companies on the following pages are paving the way toward attractive sustainable design.

Living room of the East Side Duplex renovation. Studio ST Architects combined two apartments, creating a gracious, yet functional, duplex home for the client.

studio st architects Revealing innovative, existing spaces through sustainable-design techniques by jennifer hogeland

at a glance

employees: 3

sustainable design isn’t a new concept; some cultures have been considering environmental factors for decades. Born and raised in Israel, Esther Sperber explains that, in the early 1990s, her architectural program at Technion was already exploring the impact of passive energies—climate, structure positioning, and solar power.

areas of specialty: residential and institutional design

Sperber came to New York in 1997 to attend graduate school at Columbia University. The curriculum identified ways for Sperber to change the focus of her design, but it didn’t take sustainability into account. After working at Pei Partnership Architects for five years, Sperber

location: new york, ny

44 green business quarterly july/august 2010

felt she was destined to create sustainable structures. In 2003, she established Studio ST Architects, a firm based on innovative and responsible design. Studio ST Architects has developed a palette of sustainable-design techniques. Its structures were inspired to use less energy and make smart use of materials. “That is where we have a lot to contribute,” Sperber says. “Our design abilities are really crucial in shaping the way the buildings will be used in the next century.” Studio ST Architects has a strong residential portfolio. Among the most recognized projects are an apartment building in Brooklyn, a set of duplexes in Manhattan, and a handful of single-family homes scattered throughout New York and New Jersey. Passive energy plays a major factor in Studio ST Architects’ residential design. “I believe the first step is doing no harm, which is on the passive-energy side,” Sperber suggests. “The next step is to add extras like solar panels and greywater systems.” One residential design worth mentioning is the Swell house, a 900-square-foot home in New Jersey. While a

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studio st architects

architects to watch

Lobby of the 14th Street YMHA Jewish Community Center in the East Village of Manhattan.The renovated lobby was redesigned using gradientblue, custom-pattern cement tile flooring, a field of circular fluoresecent lights, and 100 percent recycled yellow, plastic furniture.

complete demolition was considered, Studio ST Architects searched for a sustainable alternative. The firm kept the shell of the home intact; an addition was wrapped around the old skin to dramatically reduce waste and expose an energy-efficient structure. Architectural Record selected the Swell home as one of the “Best Unbuilt Houses” in 2008.

We try to work with existing buildings and find ways that they can become more energy efficient. —Esther Sperber, Owner & Founder

“I think, in some ways, it is easier to start with a clean slate, but other options need to be explored because so much of our environment is already filled. We try to work with existing buildings and find ways that they can become more energy efficient,” Sperber says. Over the years, Studio ST Architects has grown its number of institutional projects. Sperber says that the architectural firm recently completed the first phase of renovation for the 14th Street YMHA, a 60,000-squarefoot Jewish community center in Manhattan. While energy-efficient equipment is critical, Sperber also utilized a “less-is-more” strategy. The ceiling was exposed, the pipes were painted, and the flooring was removed to reveal a concrete floor. “We concentrated on doing less rather than more. Through our interpretation of sustainability, we didn’t want to introduce additional materials,” she explains.

The renovated locker room at the 14th Street YMHA Jewish Community Center.

green business quarterly july/august 2010

architects to watch

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Below: A rendering of the Swell house addition in New Jersey. At 1,900 square feet, the single-family home was designed to save on both construction materials and costs. Right: Main sanctuary rendering of the Kesher Synagogue in Englewood, NJ.

Kesher Synagogue in Englewood, New Jersey, is another of the firm’s noteworthy projects, though it is still in a schematic-design phase. Committed to creating a sustainable building, the 18,000-square-foot, $4.5 million new building will be incorporated to surround the existing structures. A series of ramps connect the indoors and outdoors, and draws in as much daylight as possible. A series of green roofs will provide additional outdoor space and considerably lower the energy consumption of the synagogue.

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Sperber implies that most of the company’s clients are receptive to sustainable design, although they aren’t willing to sacrifice the structure’s beauty, function, or affordability. Studio ST Architects’ challenge is to find ways to merge all those features in one building. “I think it is possible to do responsible building that is as well designed and at the same budget as another design,” Sperber says. “Studio ST Architects is passionate about finding innovative solutions to create sustainable spaces.” gbq

a message from celadon group Celadon Group designs and manufactures “green energy” light fixtures for commercial and residential spaces.Whether it’s manufacturing, design development, or prototyping, we deliver a high level of service and expertise within budget specifications. Using a wide range of materials, we produce an array of products to fashion our custom lights into high-quality illuminations.

46 green business quarterly july/august 2010

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Esther Sperber, AIA Principal

Esther Sperber has 13 years of experience in the field of architecture. Prior to founding Studio ST Architects in 2004, Ms. Sperber had worked at Pei Partnership Architects for over five years. She headed the team designing the 100,000 sq.ft. public interior spaces for the Ronald Regan UCLA Hospital in Los Angeles which included the main lobbies, the cafeteria and cafe, a conference center and the interdenominational chapel. She had the privilege of working very closely with Mr. I.M. Pei in the design of the new wing of the Everson Museum of Art, the renovation of the Four Seasons Hotel presidential suite and penthouse in New York and the Chengdu Museum (China), among others. Ms. Sperber is personally involved in and manages all of Studio ST’s projects. She is has been successful not only in creating innovative design but in keeping to her client’s budgets and schedule. She is proud of her successful relationships with clients, consultants and contractors that have allowed the projects to proceed smoothly and with the client’s confidence. Studio ST’s earlier work was residential, from private highend duplex combinations to apartment buildings commissioned by developers. In the last two years Studio ST has added two exciting institutional projects to its portfolio, the renovation of the 14th Street Y for the Education Alliance and the Kesher Synagogue of Englewood, New Jersey. Esther Sperber has been the lead designer and principal in charge of both these projects. Her resourcefulness allowed the 14th Street Y to expand the scope of work to include a new 2500 sq.ft. lobby while keeping to a very tight budget and schedule.

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Esther Sperber, AIA Resume

Registered Architect, New York #031232-1 Education Columbia University, New York City, Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design, May 1998 Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel, Bachelor of Architecture, Cum Laude, June 1996 Professional Studio ST Architects, New York, Founder and Principal, January 2003 - Present The Kesher Synagogue, Tenafly, NJ, 2008 The 14th Street Y Renovation, New York, 2008 Off the Wall Exhibition Design, New York, NY 2008 Swell House, Highland Park, NJ, 2007 800 West End Renovation, New York, 2007-2008 Slice House, Atlanta, Georgia, 2007 Curve Townhouse, New York, NY 2007 Stockholm Public Library Competition, Stockholm, Sweden, 2006 Prague National Library Competition, Prague Czech Republic, 2006 Wei -Hofer Renovation, New York City, 2006 Sokal Duplex Renovation. New York City, 2005 Lewis Duplex Renovation. New York City, 2005 Village Duplex Renovation. New York City, 2003-2006 544 State Street Townhouse. Brooklyn NY, 2003-2005 Hoboken 9/11 Memorial. Hoboken NJ, 2003 Cohler-Esses Apartment Renovation. New York City, 2003 Condominium Community Room. New York City, 2003 Mediatheque of Proximity. Carnoux-En-Provence, France, 2003 Tel Aviv Art Museum New Wing, Tel Aviv, Israel, 2003 Quebec Administrative and Cultural Centre. Montreal, Canada, 2002 Pei Partnership Architects, New York, 1998-2002 Anshan Government Center. Anshan, China, 2002 Chengdu Museum. Chengdu, China, 2001 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Opera of the Future. Cambridge, MA, 2001 Tianfu Square Master Plan. Chengdu, China, 2000 Macao Science Center. Macao, China, 2002 Mandarin Oriental Peace Hotel Renovation. Shanghai, China, 2002 UCLA Medical Center Westwood Replacement Hospital. Los Angeles, CA, 1997 I. M. Pei Architect, New York, 1998-2002 Four Season Hotel, Presidential Suite Renovation. New York City, 2000 Everson Museum of Art Expansion. Syracuse, NY, 2000 David Reznik Baruch Reznik Architechts, Jerusalem Israel, 1995-1997 Goodman Administration Building for Engineering Sciences. Ben-Gurion University, Israel 1995-1999 Soref Building for Mechanical Engineering. Ben-Gurion University, Israel 1995-1998 Hebrew University Rothberg International School. Jerusalem, Israel 1995-1998

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DESIGN APPROACH AND FIRM CAPABILITY Studio ST Architects’ Design Approach We strive in all our work to create the highest quality design that leaves a vivid and lasting impression on the visitor. We believe that this is achieved by our attention to and coordination of the numerous details and challenges that emerge during the process of design, fabrication and installation of each project. To ensure that this occurs, we employ disciplined project management methods that are clear and simple, and allow collaboration, dialogue, and information exchange between all participating parties. We strongly believe in a design process that engages the client to determine the design goals and direction. Each stage of a project is marked with work sessions and in-progress review meetings that allow key staff the opportunity to contribute insight and expert knowledge to the evolving design and insure a cohesive and cost-effective path between the creative concepts and the actual execution. We create a team for each project that includes, under leadership of Esther Sperber, professionals with different levels of experience relevant to the project’s needs. We have managed to create long term relationships with consultants and clients some of which have returned for multiple projects. Staffing Over the last four years our office has steadily grown. Our staff is a combination of full time employees and a number of consultants that have been assisting us in specific areas. With dedication, love of architecture and hard work, we have always been able to satisfy our clients’ needs and meet our deadlines. Esther Sperber is personally involved in all the design and management aspects of every projects at Studio ST Architects. She is committed to insuring the highest level of design and detailing and has been able to complete all Studio ST’s project with the client’s full satisfaction. Our returning clients are a testimony to the quality of the work we deliver. Technical Infrastructure In order to best serve our clients, we strive to be on the forefront not only of architectural design and of the technology that is used to produce these designs. Studio ST’s office is conveniently located in midtown Manhattan. We have six full work stations that include a full suite of drafting, 3-D modeling software and graphic design software. We have a system of high-speed internet and phone lines that allow us to transfer data to our consultants, print shop and clients. Our FTP server is capable of transferring 2500GB of data and holding up to 2500 email addresses. Our office is moving towards being fully digital and paperless and we have robust system of digital onsite and off-site backups that insure the safety of our office data. Our printers include a monochrome high-speed laser printer, a high-speed color laser printer, a high-resolution wide-format inkjet printer and a large 48” wide high-resolution (as well as black-and-white) HP plotter. We have scanners, fax machines and digital cameras that we use for our project documentations and presentations. We have an extensive material and catalogue library in which we collect both traditional and cutting edge materials. We are interested transforming the ways that typical materials are used, a process that allows us to create new designs with existing, in-expensive materials (see Off the Wall and the 14 Street Y projects). Our business is insured both for General Liability and Professional Liability as well as Workers Compensation. We are confident that we can provide the highest quality of design and management to our projects in collaboration with our clients in a manner that leaves our clients satisfied and inspired.

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