Joel Sanders Architect

Our design for the lobbies and public interiors of two new rental properties connected by a common courtyard consists of two interlocking volumes designed to reconcile new and old, smooth and rough, organic and inorganic. In the larger lobby, an inner shell constructed from smooth, synthetic materials (painted sheetrock, terrazzo, hot rolled steel) appears to float within the building’s brick enclosure, lined with textured surfaces associated with nature (green-tinted concrete encrusted with water washed pebbles).

Structural columns encased in fiberglass pierce backlit cutouts in the floor and ceiling, dematerializing boundaries. Inset felt floor panels and Ultrasuede upholstery offer a softer counterpoint to the polished terrazzo. The smaller lobby features a white terrazzo floor that folds vertically to create a dramatic backlit canted wall visible from the street. Designed to capture the attention of pedestrians, this receding walnut plane visually connects city street, vestibule and elevator lobby within.