Piano

USA, New York City — 2017
residential
investor, client
Private Investor
architect
Boris Redčenkov, Prokop Tomášek, Jaroslav Wertig
team, collaboration
Roman Klimeš, Šárka Andrlová
visualization
obrazek.org

Both sides, the house can be oriented to, have their particular qualities. The street is a calm residential street with an intimate atmosphere and grown trees. The internal block, on the contrary, provides a quiet micro space with grown trees. By its flowing floor plan, the house tries to combine these qualities.   
Our first calculations suggested that it would be possible to design a building with as much as eight stories. That would, however, need dimensioning of an egress staircase with two escape routes. The result would be a larger percentage from the fixed GFA consumed for vertical circulation that is an area not for sale.
Our strategy was to exploit the spatial envelope to the maximum, to get the maximum possible GFA and minimize the area allocated for internal circulation for the benefit of the area for sale.
Therefore, we opted for such a solution not needing this way dimensioned egress and tried to utilize this area in apartments. We tried to design the rather narrow and deep footprint so that the effect would be unexpectedly generous and airy. The large open living space is taken deep into the layout. We brought plenty of light inside by using large glass panes in the façade and a higher clear height of rooms letting light deep inside.
The generous glazing of the envelope combined with brickwork can be understood either as industrial or as a reminiscence of old Amsterdam windows.
The circulation core and the service areas in apartments look as if burnished by the aerodynamics of the space flowing between the street and the backyard façade. “Flickering” walls make the space optically even bigger and boost its lavish image. Their brick texture lets the waving shine by copying the dynamic curves. Shapes resembling the curvature of a concert piano are the featuring aesthetical element of the house.

Piano

USA, New York City — 2017
residential
investor, client
Private Investor
architect
Boris Redčenkov, Prokop Tomášek, Jaroslav Wertig
team, collaboration
Roman Klimeš, Šárka Andrlová
visualization
obrazek.org

Both sides, the house can be oriented to, have their particular qualities. The street is a calm residential street with an intimate atmosphere and grown trees. The internal block, on the contrary, provides a quiet micro space with grown trees. By its flowing floor plan, the house tries to combine these qualities.   
Our first calculations suggested that it would be possible to design a building with as much as eight stories. That would, however, need dimensioning of an egress staircase with two escape routes. The result would be a larger percentage from the fixed GFA consumed for vertical circulation that is an area not for sale.
Our strategy was to exploit the spatial envelope to the maximum, to get the maximum possible GFA and minimize the area allocated for internal circulation for the benefit of the area for sale.
Therefore, we opted for such a solution not needing this way dimensioned egress and tried to utilize this area in apartments. We tried to design the rather narrow and deep footprint so that the effect would be unexpectedly generous and airy. The large open living space is taken deep into the layout. We brought plenty of light inside by using large glass panes in the façade and a higher clear height of rooms letting light deep inside.
The generous glazing of the envelope combined with brickwork can be understood either as industrial or as a reminiscence of old Amsterdam windows.
The circulation core and the service areas in apartments look as if burnished by the aerodynamics of the space flowing between the street and the backyard façade. “Flickering” walls make the space optically even bigger and boost its lavish image. Their brick texture lets the waving shine by copying the dynamic curves. Shapes resembling the curvature of a concert piano are the featuring aesthetical element of the house.