Greenwich Village Maisonette
Recalling the old-world charm of a storied locale, Greenwich Village Maisonette brings modern clarity to the historic architecture, with a soothing light-filled interior enlivened by authentic layering and a celebration of craft.
In the beating heart of New York City lies an historic place steeped in the passage of time, hidden behind the variegated brick and rendered facades that address the treelined streets. Greenwich Village Maisonette is an exemplar of a sensitive restoration that delicately weaves contemporary ideals into the bones of the original, a memoir to the characters who have come and gone.
Conceived by Havard Cooper Architect in collaboration with RKV Design and LP Creative, the project began with the client’s wish to restore a rare duplex within a 19th-century co-op, to rekindle the original dignity of the architecture in honour of a colourful history. “Our client wanted to restore character, improve flow and integrate modern comforts without erasing patina,” explains Havard Cooper, project architect and practice founder. “She’s a young design-literate therapist and start-up founder with an affinity for art, travel, and culture — someone who sees her home as a form of autobiography.”
Defined by Federal and Greek Revival with Tudor and Gothic overlays, the dwelling deploys an array of unique interventions that balance formality with openness. Spanning two floors of a mid-1800s row house, high-reaching windows allow light to permeate deep within for a liveable interior underpinned by an orderly framework. “Arched doorways, ironwork and plaster detailing guided the project’s restorative approach,” says Cooper. Comprising bedrooms and a generous shared garden to the lower level and a communal upper domain, legibility is restored through a sculptural spiral stair as a central spine to the abode, while viewshafts enhance visual connection from one space to the next. “Each intervention is designed to feel inevitable — respectful of its historic context yet unmistakably of its time,” adds Cooper.
Built on the concept of ‘continuity through contrast’, the design effort brings modern clarity to an historic shell without erasure or imitation. Plaster details are authentically recast, while cornices are reinterpreted in contemporary composite methods. Limewashed walls, raked oak herringbone floors, unlacquered brass and rich marble veining introduce warmth and perpetuity to uphold the lustre of the former dwelling. “Each material was selected for honesty and texture,” notes Cooper. “Door jambs, cornices and mantels were redrawn from historic profiles but realised with modern precision — every detail serves the same idea — calm, continuity and craft.”
Adhering to preservation guidelines, the interior was forensically dissected before its glorious reincarnation. “Historic homes are unforgiving,” explains Cooper of delving into the unknown. “A half inch can alter a staircase or break a datum,” he adds. Thoughtful restraint emanates across every material as an expression of the utmost consideration. A concise neutral palette accentuates elaborate trims, cornices, and mouldings, while deep navy and crimson hues convey an informal sense of luxury — contemplative and quiet, yet confident and brave.
Recalling the old-world charm of this storied locale, Greenwich Village Maisonette is an uplifting restoration that eloquently blends both past and present. A soothing retreat for an effervescent owner, styles converge through mindful restraint as a fitting counterpart to the ornate. This is a place in tune with its vibrant history while poised for new encounters.
Architecture by Havard Cooper Architect. Interior design by RKV Design and LP Creative. Build by Structure NYC. Structural design by Martos Engineering. Services design by TAN Engineering.
