In some apartments in Manhattan, a desirable view might include an interesting neighbouring building, a nearby rooftop dotted with trees, a sight of Central Park or simply the sky. Space is at a premium in New York and any one of these features is a treasured commodity, so it is a unique feeling to step into an apartment that spreads across most of the 84th floor of a Park Avenue building, with Manhattan sprawled at your feet in nearly every direction. The East River, the Empire State Building, Central Park and even the Statue of Liberty are all there, framed by elegant french windows and doors fronted by dramatic curtaining and upholstered window seats – all fit for a large country house.
In 2019, the owner of this flat contacted Miles Redd and David Kaihoi, partners in New York design studio Redd Kaihoi, to talk about her plans for the 5,500-square-foot apartment. They reviewed images of the space, which was raw sheetrock with concrete floors, to discuss the kind of architecture and decoration she admired and imagined she would want to live in. ‘Our client envisioned going from a cold cement shell with massive plate glass windows to something she described as “English country”. This was a huge leap, as the basic language of the building was beyond contemporary,’ Miles recalls. ‘We realised that she essentially wanted to create a house within a house.’
Soon after that meeting, the pandemic hit and the world paused, but the owner did not, engaging Mexican architect Jorge Loyzaga, who specialises in classical buildings and restoration. He set about recreating the shell of a European-style country house, which was then dropped, much like the elements of a stage set, into the vast space.
Walls in ‘Rayure Moire’ by Brunschwig & Fils set off a mix of antique pieces and lanterns made in Mexico, which were sourced by architectural practice Loyzaga in the hall.
Nicole Franzen
Jorge’s daughter, Sophia Loyzaga, a partner in her father’s practice Loyzaga, describes their thorough study of the apartment. ‘The interiors are almost entirely covered in hand-carved boiserie panelling, crafted in the 18th-century French style. The woodwork was made in Mexico by skilled artisans and transported to New York, accompanied by a master carpenter to oversee the delivery and explain the assembly. The design was conceived to make the interior feel like a historic residence, and this meant adapting to the building’s structural and technological requirements, while preserving a classic look. A key challenge was the building’s movement due to wind. It sways subtly every 11 seconds, so expansion joints and small gaps had to be included in our design to allow for that motion.’