The list of materials was ready from the outset: plaster, stone and wood were the designated main ingredients for the renovation and expansion of this townhouse in the Gramercy neighbourhood in New York. Even before commissioning O’Neill Rose Architects to renovate their home, the owners had fallen in love with Dinesen HeartOak, visited the forest where the oak trees grow and bought the floors. It was clearly important to them to understand all the elements of the renovation project, from manufacturer to craftsmanship and materials.

This approach resonated with the founders of O’Neill Rose Architects, Devin O’Neill and Faith Rose, who spent time with the different builders and designers to understand the origins of the materials better and get to know the people behind them.

O’Neill Rose Architects introduced a vertical spatial organisation: the lower floors are intimate and welcoming, and their interior is designed for spending time with family and friends. In contrast, the upper floors let in the urban atmosphere. The living room and kitchen are intimate spaces on the ground level with access to the walled backyard. However, the rooms become increasingly open to the urban atmosphere on higher floors. The new top floor suspends the boundary between the interior and exterior. With large, angled windows, a sculptural skylight, windows in the interior walls between rooms and a penthouse patio open to the sky, this new extension engages in a continuous dialogue between interior and exterior, between home and city.