Hardly a week goes by that a luxurious property somewhere in the world is marketed for its acclaimed architect, commendable construction firm, or esteemed design team, the quality of whose work is often not readily apparent in photographs. The reason for the honors showered on this striking Chelsea townhouse, however, are immediately apparent: its breathtaking contemporary façade singles it out as groundbreaking, innovative, and well worthy of the Award of Excellence from the Society of American Registered Architects, which it garnered in 2021.
New York, New York | Mae H. Bagai, Jonathan Hettinger, Sotheby’s International Realty – Downtown Manhattan Brokerage
The self-proclaimed goal of Manhattan-based architect Andrea Steele, who spearheaded the building’s creation—is to produce “innovative, socially conscious design that acts as a catalyst for the surrounding community.” This six-level residence, tucked amid more-traditional buildings, is just that—visually exciting and effortlessly inspiring, with a “screen” of aluminum louvers covering the façade and creating a tableau unlike any other in the vicinity.
The sophisticated interiors are a haven for aficionados of cutting-edge contemporary design and lovers of light and volume. While a convenient, highly practical elevator links all six levels, the dramatic staircase is as much about form as function, catching the eye as it ascends through the central atrium, opening the living spaces vertically, creating a pervasive sense of interconnectedness, and filling the house with a cascade of sunlight from above.
The ground level begins with a slate-paved hallway and a sizable glass-walled garage with remote-controlled folding steel doors. Beyond is an open pavilion-like space that can serve as a guest apartment, an office, or a studio and includes storage, laundry facilities, and a full bath. The building’s clever configuration positions this floor beneath the serene backyard, where a discreet skylight admits light from above. On the lowest level, the casual entertaining area features 20-foot ceilings, a gas fireplace, a 25-foot skylight, a wet bar, both a powder room and a full bath, a sauna with a steamshower, and a gym.
A full floor of formal living space on the second level opens through a wall of double-height glass to the peaceful walled backyard terrace, where the louvers of the streetside façade are echoed on the building’s southern side, gently filtering the direct sunlight that floods into the interiors. A generous dining room accommodating at least a dozen adjoins a sleek, streamlined Poliform kitchen with stainless-steel Gaggenau appliances and a built-in sitting area.
The private quarters—two bedroom suites with their own laundry closet and a 1,500-square-foot primary suite that includes a spa-like travertine bath with a soaking tub and rain shower, a walk-in closet, a dressing room, a sitting room, and a laundry area—occupy the quiet, secluded fourth and fifth levels. The uppermost floor is a versatile space that can benefit the busy professional as a large office, offer a den for relaxation beside a gas fireplace, or be converted into additional bedrooms that share a full and a powder bath. High above it all, a rooftop terrace—one of the most coveted amenities in bustling Manhattan—is ideal for dining, entertaining, or private reflection surrounded by the city’s dazzling skyline, as exciting and inspiring as the home itself.
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