Up on the 39th floor of the skyscraper designed by Sir David Adjaye in Manhattan, there’s an elegant, comfortable apartment, furnished by Ruchi Agrawal Mohan’s New York-based interior design studio, DesignbyRUCHI. The project has created an oasis of peace and tranquility in the middle of the city that never sleeps.
Located in New York’s financial district, 130 William was the first skyscraper designed by Sir David Adjaye in the United States and was conceived as a small vertical city. The tower has 66 levels, two of which are dedicated to retail outlets. It’s home to over 240 luxury apartments along with various services, including a gym, cinema, outdoor spaces, a roof terrace, and a public park that acts as a transition space between the bustle of city life and the calm of the residences. The exterior of the building, made of concrete with bronze detailing, marks a shift away from modern glass curtain walls and back to the tradition of masonry architecture that once characterized the neighborhood. The façade is punctuated by large arched windows, recalling the mercantile structures that once filled this part of the city.
The apartment, occupying 1200 square feet (111 m2), has two bedrooms and a large, well-lit living area that comprises a kitchen with an island counter, a dining space, and a lounge area. The interiors were designed by Ruchi Agrawal Mohan using a palette of natural materials, such as walnut, marble, and leather, along with linen fabrics and woolen rugs. The recurring motif of the project is the bronze finishing of the metal elements, chosen to form a continuity with the façade, which combine with soft shades of blue, green, and gray. The floors are light-colored parquetry.
“I wanted to highlight and enhance every existing architectural detail and then design it in a way that made it a calming home to live in and a space to show off and enjoy good times with friends and family at the same time,” says Mohan.
“Soho House (*) was a huge source of inspiration for this project at the start,” the interior designer says. “As I developed the design, I created a custom style for this home, which was unique to its owner. The apartment is on the 39th floor and has beautiful views of Manhattan. I wanted to create a feeling of a calming oasis that is high in the sky.”
(*) Soho House is a group of private members' clubs originally aimed at those in the arts, politics, and media. The original location is at 40 Greek Street, Soho, London.
Location: New York, USA
Area: 111 m2
Architect: Adjaye Associates
Interior designer: DesignbyRUCHI
Photography by Daniel Wang, courtesy of DesignbyRUCHI