New York – the city in which both people and houses reach for the sky. In the metropolis with some eight million inhabitants, private places of refuge are essential. With the multi-family residence at 115 Norfolk Street in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, New York-based architects Grzywinski + Pons created a modest, peaceful construction with thick concrete walls and an understated interior that also forms an exciting link with the public life out on the street. The clearly structured project covering some 2,500 m² comprises 24 residential units based on a characteristic and also functional L-shape.

Thanks to the fully-glazed outer façade, each unit has windows that finish flush with the floor. The building’s so-called curtain wall spans across both the interior and exterior portions of the façade, giving the building linear continuity. The wafer-thin ceramic frit on the glazing acts as a filter for the tiniest of particles. It provides privacy for the residents and, at the same time, outwardly displays subtleties and contours. In the residential units, Grzywinski + Pons made deliberate use of contrasts: the understated interior design accentuates the clear, open structure - executed in solid granite and marble elements that interact with warm wood decors. Soft light filtered through the frits falls on natural stone walls, softening the rough contours for greater harmony. The living areas and bathrooms are separated by a simple glass partition. The Vero washbasins take the clear forms of the living area through into the bathroom; Starck 3 toilets by Duravit complement the furnishings.