NoMad Lobby

New York, New York

Completed - September 2022

Design Team
Max Worrell, Jejon Yeung, Beatriz de Uña Bóveda, Yunchao Le

Collaborators
Contractor: Bednarz Construction

This renovation and redesign of an historic apartment building lobby near Madison Square creates a liminal space between the urban and the domestic. Pivotal to the reimagining of the space was establishing a minimal, yet textured material approach that highlights the distinct contemporary objects within an historic framework. Upon entry, custom terrazzo floors and wainscotting create a monolithic plinth that is offset by a crisp, textured wood joinery object that conceals a package room and defines the space. A rectangular bench in the same terrazzo material seemingly extruded from the floor reads as a neighboring, domestically-scaled volume and creates a moment for rest. Above the terrazzo, gray lime wash walls offer a soft expression of richness and a pair of rectilinear peach mirrors provide subtle reflective moments upon entry.

This new lobby establishes a refined and nuanced interior that balances transitions in an understated yet engaging way.

Acknowledging the transition from day to night, a singular, elemental light fixture reads like an abstract sun during the day and transforms to a soft moon-like fixture in the evening. It casts an inviting glow in all directions, and can be seen from the street, like a portal to the interior. The project also included a restoration of the historic facade to create a muted, neutral palette that transforms the bottom two-story section of the building into a coherent whole.

Photographs
Eric Petschek