Pierre Yovanovitch opens design gallery in New York City penthouse
CategoriesInterior Design

Pierre Yovanovitch opens design gallery in New York City penthouse

French designer Pierre Yovanovitch has opened his first US showroom and gallery in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood, displaying over 80 pieces from his own furniture brand.

Recognisable designs including the iconic Bear Chair fill the 10,000 square feet (930 square metres) of gallery and office space on the penthouse level of 555 West 25th Street.

Dining table with eight round-backed chairs, and a light fixture aboveDining table with eight round-backed chairs, and a light fixture above
Pierre Yovanovitch chose a penthouse in a pre-war building for his New York gallery

This business expansion offers a permanent base for Yovanovitch and his team in New York, and allows customers and clients from his largest retail market to see the Pierre Yovanovitch Mobilier products first-hand.

“Having worked on residential projects in the US since the beginning of my practice in 2001 and with two successful furniture collection debuts (2017 and 2019) in New York, the opening of my first gallery space in America and new official New York headquarters, is a long-awaited realization for me,” said Yovanovitch.

Room with exposed ceiling beams, whitewashed brick and dark wood floorsRoom with exposed ceiling beams, whitewashed brick and dark wood floors
The exposed ceiling beams, whitewashed brick and dark wood floors are all typical of a New York loft

Inside the pre-war building, the gallery unfolds through a series of partial rooms that flow into one another without doorways or thresholds.

Throughout, exposed ceiling joists and ductwork are paired with dark wood flooring and whitewashed brick, typical of a New York loft space.

Furniture pieces styled like a living roomFurniture pieces styled like a living room
The gallery is laid out as a series of residential-style vignettes, which flow into one another

The largest display area centres around a sculptural fireplace, with a smooth plaster form that curves outward towards the base.

Furniture is oriented around the hearth, including a gently arced sofa and a chartreuse-toned resin coffee table, accompanied by the fluffy wing-backed Clifford armchair.

Wooden dining table with glass light aboveWooden dining table with glass light above
Yovanovitch curated a selection of artworks to accompany his furniture pieces

A variety of lounge and dining room vignettes showcase the products in suggested combinations with one another in residential-style layouts.

Other designs on show include the new Callis Table Lamp, the Roze Dining Table, the Arthur Sofa and the Artemis Rug.

Living room vignette facing a fireplaceLiving room vignette facing a fireplace
A variety of signature furniture and lighting designs are on display alongside new pieces

All are made in collaboration with specialist craftspeople and are “created with longevity and exceptional quality in mind” according to the brand.

“The brand pays homage to Yovanovitch’s Provencal roots, in particular the region’s natural light, rich and varied natural materials and colourways of the surrounding nature, as well as the historic commitment to craft associated with the region,” said a statement from the gallery.

The wide array of furniture and lighting pieces are presented alongside a selection of contemporary art curated by Yovanovitch – including works by Camille Henrot, Wolfgang Tillmans and Alicja Kwade – in an attempt to tie the gallery in with Chelsea’s status as an arts destination.

“It seems only fitting to open my first gallery location in the epicenter of New York’s art scene,” he said. “Not only is contemporary art central to my design practice, the neighborhood’s architectural history serves as reflection to my approach of revitalising historic spaces to fit a contemporary design aesthetic.”

Long dining table with blue and white upholstered chairsLong dining table with blue and white upholstered chairs
All of the Pierre Yovanovitch Mobilier products are “created with longevity and exceptional-quality in mind”

The New York gallery opening follows the debut of the brand’s new Paris showroom, which began welcoming visitors to a street-level space in the Marais neighbourhood from October 2023.

This move from the previous location in the 2nd arrondissement also strategically places Pierre Yovanovitch Mobilier amongst the city’s art galleries.

Sculptural fireplace accompanied by Pierre Yovanovitch's iconic Bear ChairSculptural fireplace accompanied by Pierre Yovanovitch's iconic Bear Chair
A sculptural fireplace anchors the largest area, accompanied by Yovanovitch’s Clifford chair

Yovanovitch founded his design practice in 2001 after working for fashion house Pierre Cardin. His interior design work has ranged from the salmon-pink and butter-yellow gift shop at Villa Noailles and ski hotel Le Coucou in France, to the high-end Hélène Darroze restaurant at The Connaught in London and ski hotel Le Coucou.

Earlier this year, the designer created a set with moving elements for Verdi’s Rigoletto at the Basel Opera.

The photography is by Stephen Kent Johnson.

Reference

DDG and IMG outfit penthouse at Manhattan’s 180 East 88th Street tower
CategoriesInterior Design

DDG and IMG outfit penthouse at Manhattan’s 180 East 88th Street tower

Arched openings frame views of New York City from this duplex penthouse apartment in a Carnegie Hill residential tower, designed and developed by American real estate company DDG.

The penthouse sits atop the newly constructed 180 East 88th Street, an art deco-influenced building that tallest residence north of 72nd Street on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

Bedroom with arched window
The arched opening that crowns 180 East 88th Street frame views from the interior

Spilt over two storeys, its 5,508 square feet (512 square metres) of interiors were designed by the tower’s architects and developers DDG and staged by New York firm IMG.

The residence also enjoys an additional 3,500 square feet (325 square metres) of exterior spaces across multiple levels — including a private rooftop terrace overlooking Central Park.

Sculptural staircase
A sculptural staircase connects the two storeys and the roof terrace of the penthouse

Huge arches in the grey-brick facades that wrap the building’s crown are visible from the inside, thanks to large expanses of glazing that enclose the apartment on both floors.

There are views across the city in all directions, the most dramatic of which is of the Midtown skyline to the south.

Kitchen
The kitchen features a golden cooker hood that echoes the building’s pinnacle

There are two living spaces, a large dining area and a separate eat-in kitchen, five bedrooms and a den, and four full and two half bathrooms.

The two internal levels and the roof terrace are connected by a curvaceous staircase that rises through centre of the penthouse.

Spaces are neutrally decorated, with sculptural light fixtures and expressive artworks adding visual interest.

In the kitchen, a golden cooker hood echoes the colour and shape of an architectural feature on the building’s pinnacle.

Huge arched opening with view of Manhattan
Expansive terraces enjoy unobstructed views across Manhattan

Completed earlier this year, 180 East 88th Street includes 46 half- and full-floor residences, along with amenities such as a partial indoor basketball court and soccer pitch, a game room, a residents’ lounge, a private fitness and yoga studio, and a children’s playroom with a slide.

The building’s exterior design was influenced by “the boom in high-rise masonry construction in New York in the early 20th century”, and is one of many recent skyscrapers in the city that have ditched glass in favour of more solid-looking materials.

Bathroom
Full-height glass walls allow the vistas to be enjoyed from the majority of rooms

“Paying homage to the lost art of traditional craftsmanship, the intricate exterior features a striking hand-laid brick facade made of 600,000 handmade bricks by Denmark’s master brickworks Petersen Tegl,” said a statement from DDG.

Manhattan has no shortage of luxury penthouses, with some of the most notable including a residence at the top of Rafael Viñoly’s 432 Park Avenue and the premium unit at Zaha Hadid’s 520 West 28th Street development.

The photography is by Sean Hemmerle.

Reference

Leckie Studio designs penthouse inside BIG’s Vancouver skyscraper
CategoriesInterior Design

Leckie Studio designs penthouse inside BIG’s Vancouver skyscraper

A rainforest-style atrium with a cedar tree lies within a two-storey unit designed by Leckie Studio, located inside the new Vancouver House tower.


The penthouse is found within the sculptural, 59-storey tower that rises up from a triangular site in downtown Vancouver, near Granville Bridge. The building was designed by architecture firm BIG and was completed last year.

Leckie Studio designed the project
A rainforest-style atrium sits at the heart of the penthouse

The two-level apartment is on the northwest side of the skyscraper, where it is afforded views of English Bay and the North Shore Mountains.

The unit’s owner desired an inviting atmosphere and spaces to accommodate natural artefacts and artwork from her travels. She turned to local firm Leckie Studio to oversee the design.

The penthouse is located in Vancouver House tower
The apartment has views far-reaching views of Vancouver and beyond

The team set out to create a layered environment that looked both inward and outward, and was infused with organic elements.

“Through an iterative design process, the studio and client arrived at a highly bespoke, biophilic design that is attuned to the passage of time,” the team said.

Leckie Studio inserted a kitchen into the lower level
A kitchen on the lower level features a giant island

The unit is divided into public and private areas. On the bottom level, one finds a living room, dining area, kitchen and an office. A half-turn stair leads to the upper level, which holds two bedrooms.

There also is a 167-square-metre roof deck that is accessed via a private elevator.

“The experience of the penthouse is quite varied, depending on the time of day and which space is being occupied,” said architect Michael Leckie.

The unit’s focal point is a tall, glazed atrium filled with lush vegetation.

The atrium has vegetation
The atrium runs alongside the stairwell leading to bedrooms

Acting as the “spine” for the penthouse, the atrium runs alongside the stairwell and extends from the unit’s bottom level all the way to its roof terrace. At the top, it is open to the sky.

“Conceived as a microcosm of the Pacific Northwest rainforest, its centrepiece is a full-size, red cedar tree that lends a contemplative and grounding element to the onlooking interiors,” the team said.

Leckie Studio used American black walnut for the woodwork
Finishes and fixtures are kept minimal in the bathroom

“The ecosystem surrounding this tree will be sustained long term by a ‘nurse’ log, which replenishes the space with nutrients from decay.”

Beyond the atrium, earthy elements are found throughout the dwelling and form a rich backdrop for the client’s belongings.

Travertine was used for custom-milled bathroom sinks
Marble lines the walls of the powder room

American black walnut makes up the woodwork in the living room, kitchen and bathing areas. The high-quality wood was also used for the stair treads.

Travertine was used for flooring and custom-milled bathroom sinks. Smokey grey marble lines the walls in a powder room.

Leckie Studio used black accents in the project
Blackened-steel accents can be found throughout the apartment

Blackened-steel accents run throughout the unit and act as a counterpoint to the natural materials.

The penthouse’s sparse furnishings include an oak-topped dining table with a cast-bronze base, and a low-lying, multidirectional sofa that support various postures and orientations.

A lighting installation floats in the stairwell
A lighting installation from Bocci illuminates the stairwell

Floating in the stairwell is a lighting installation from Bocci that evokes a cluster of sparkling fireflies. The piece is made of copper and 122 glass luminaires.

The rooftop terrace is meant to serve as an extension of the living space. It is fitted with a stainless-steel jacuzzi, an outdoor shower, a kitchenette and plenty of seating.

Leckie Studio was founded in 2015
The lighting installation is made from copper and glass

Founded by Michael Leckie in 2015, Leckie Studio has designed a number of residential projects, including mirrored cabins that blend into the forest. The firm also designed Slack’s Vancouver office, located within a repurposed industrial building.

Photography is by Conrad Brown.

Reference