Eric Liftin of architecture firm MESH had a tall order to fill when designing a Williamsburg, Brooklyn home for actor Steve Burns of Blue's Clues.
The lot was entirely covered by a previous garage structure, and the architect had to maintain that same interior square footage to have his project grandfathered into the former zoning laws. The new zoning laws would have required the creation of a 30' rear yard, which the client did not want. Liftin was able to raise 200 feet of interior space to a second story and create an open outdoor atrium in the center of the property. This ingenious solution provides truly private garden space while abiding by the tricky and convoluted zoning regulations.
An entire length of the home is clad in salvaged Coney Island pine planks. Named "SpecialWall," Liftin designed this feature to have the flexibility for displaying art easily and inserting temporary lighting at any point across its surface.
For the full feature with even more photos, see Inhabitat | MESH Designs a Serene Atrium Bachelor Pad in Brooklyn for Actor Steve Burns (from Blue’s Clues!).
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Does anyone have an idea of how much a glass wall like the second last picture would cost?
What a great mix of materials. They compliment each other so well.
Ditto ralapack - also wondering how it would fare in colder climates. Too drafty?
This is a pretty sweet crib. Not what I'd expect based on the show's aesthetic. ha.
I'm guessing those slide-fold doors are Nana Wall or similar: http://www.nanawall.com
The front is too busy for me with all the different materials, but the rest of the house is beautiful. Love the atrium. It is so nice to have a real private outdoor place in the city.
Does anyone know the brand of sofa that is shown in the living room of this house? At first I thought it was a Knoll sofa, but it has a lower back than the Knoll. I love the shape and tufting. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Oh, found the sofa. It's a Gus Modern Jane Bi-Sectional Sofa.
Bravo to whoever dropped a chair on that guy's face. ;)
Seriously though, why did he think doing that in one of these pictures was a good idea?