Designed from the Inside Out with Gaggenau
Scott Avram, senior vice-president of development for Lightstone, knows something about luxury. Lightstone, after all, is the largest privately held real estate and development company in the U.S., serving 30 states. Their portfolio includes 40 East End on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and ARC, a stunning upscale residential building in Long Island City, as well as 130 William, a Sir David Adjaye-designed project that sees Adjaye Associates tackling their first condominium tower in New York City.
Adjaye’s resume is nothing short of stellar, with projects that include the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall in Washington DC; the UK Holocaust Memorial & Learning Centre in London, UK; and the National Cathedral in Accra, Ghana. “We needed to find a partner who understood what we had learned about the opportunity, could interpret it and bring freshness and relevance,” says Avram. “For this project it was all about celebrating the history of downtown Manhattan – understanding the materials, the story of how the area was born, why it began the way it did and bringing all that back into a new building. David understood this was a building not just to be seen, but to be felt. Every bit of every space must have a connection to that idea.”
To that end, the team wanted a building that wasn’t common to downtown – something more than a “plug and play” glass tower. “It deserved a richness – from the exterior materials to the historically referenced arched windows to the modern, yet sensitive interior spaces,” says Avram.
Those interior spaces informed the exterior – with a people-first approach, the structure was designed from the inside out. “The people who live here must experience and feel the building every day – from the inside,” adds Aram. “Perspectives matter. Details matter.
“Gaggenau has that same idea.”
“The interiors require the best details in the world,” he adds. “Textures, colors, components all work as a collection of specialness – something not found everywhere.”
“Gaggenau, like our architectural and design partners, is a true collaborator,” says Avram. “The company works with the full team to realize the vision.” It’s one big reason Gaggenau products were also included in another Lightstone project – albeit one with an entirely different vibe – the aforementioned 40 East End. “From a small, individual cook’s kitchen with a Combi steam oven and Vario cooktop to an extra large gourmet kitchen, fully kitted out with wine storage, double ovens, multiple cooktops and fridges, Gaggenau can meet the need.”
