New York Home by Jae Joo Designs and Michael House Architecture

Within the lofted ceilings of what was originally a textiles factory in Tribeca, New York Home is shaped by a combination of sculptural gestures and clean lines. Jae Joo Designs and Michael House Architecture combine to create a contemporary home amid a space with a rich history, carving a unique oasis over three generous levels.

“The emphasis on shapes and blending elements motivated me to approach the design process with extra care and detail,” describes Jae Joo, founder and director of Jae Joo Designs. “I aimed for a mix of cosiness and drama, and we worked to create a timeless canvas that provides the family with both a relaxing space and a setting for limitless creativity.” Set among volumes of just under seven meters in height, New York Home is a unique dwelling of impressive proportions. Allowing for moments of compression and release, the approach blends architectural elements with a warm and inviting interior to become a reprieve from bustling Manhattan.

“I aimed for a mix of cosiness and drama, and we worked to create a timeless canvas that provides the family with both a relaxing space and a setting for limitless creativity.”

Once an area with industrious origins, Tribeca is home to many historic and new buildings that retain a nostalgic connection to the past. Within a brutalist-style bluestone-clad exterior designed and built in 2016, the interior is a light-filled and composed series of interconnected zones. A central, sculptural stair draws movement to the upper levels, while the expanse of the main living area sees a curation of furniture, object and artwork capture an expression of the owners. “The space has a strong, raw feel, highlighted by bold architectural features like the curved staircase, stacked concrete ceilings and textured columns,” adds Jae, “and given the spacious and open nature of the area, I had to make careful yet bold choices to avoid an empty or clinical feeling.”

The resulting home is spread over three levels, with an open void that stretches between them. In a city where outdoor space is valuable, the opportunity to integrate three separate private outdoor terraces emphasises the level of luxury at play. To emphasise the sheer volume of the residence, the palette needed to be neutral, expansive and cohesive. “Our goal was to preserve a feeling of calmness while infusing character and depth into the home,” says Jae, “and we achieved this by combining materials like metal, stone and plaster together with materials that would also patina – adding a sense of history to the surfaces over time.”

In a city where outdoor space is valuable, the opportunity to integrate three separate private outdoor terraces emphasises the level of luxury at play.

The aim of New York Home was to create a secluded sanctuary in the bustling city that was a timeless backdrop for family life. In celebrating the opportunity to have such an open and expansive home so centrally located within Manhattan, Jae Joo Designs and Michael House Architecture overlay considered detailing with a lasting sense of drama.

Architecture by Michael House Architecture. Interior design and styling by Jae Joo Designs. Build by Composite. Landscape design by Dimastery.