A Manhattan-based design practice, TBD, has reimagined a West Village residence featuring all-white interiors alongside a freshly built roof terrace that includes an outdoor shower and hot tub.
Working within a 1,600-square-foot (149-square-metre) apartment on Christopher Street, the studio reshaped the interior into a flowing open-plan configuration.
Photograph by Christopher Olstein
This two-bedroom, two-bathroom dwelling includes a private rooftop terrace complete with decking and a bar setup. A compact pool was custom-built by Diamond Spas in Colorado, transported via flatbed truck, and hoisted onto the roof by crane.
Photograph by Christopher Olstein
"A great advantage of older structures in lower Manhattan is that many were engineered to support substantial weight — including industrial machinery," remarked Josh Weiselberg, who established TBD Design Studio alongside Selin Semaan in 2006.
"Although additional structural reinforcement was necessary, we were working with an inherently sturdy base — something worth keeping in mind before installing a pool on a rooftop."
Positioned at the level of the existing parapet, the terrace creates the visual effect of the compact pool being integrated into the surface. Additional features comprise a bulkhead and a walkable skylight set into the deck.
The lower level showcases predominantly white finishes set against timber-clad passageway walls, with concrete flooring running throughout the residence.
The team identified a central design obstacle: linking the elevator entrance at the front with the expansive open loft space at the back. "Our answer was to construct a walnut-paneled corridor that broadens as it moves toward the rear of the unit, naturally guiding occupants toward the shared area and the staircase ascending to the roof," they explained.
Concealed within the walnut-paneled corridor walls are a home office, storage closet, and powder room. A kitchen and dining zone occupy one side, while the bedroom suite sits across the way.
The dining table consists of a substantial timber slab designed to complement the corridor's wood detailing. An adjacent staircase echoes this aesthetic with timber treads, slender metal railings, and an integrated planter.
The living area is furnished with a generous grey sofa and an oversized ottoman, surrounded on multiple sides by windows and illuminated by an overhead skylight.
Smoothed and finished in white, the original concrete vaulted arches remain a defining feature throughout the home. According to the studio, "The floor plan was carefully arranged around these arches so that partition walls align with them and the new staircase to the roof emerges from within one of the arched openings."
A glass door leads to the master bedroom situated at the far end of the apartment. "With this door open, there's an unobstructed sightline running from the front to the back of the unit," the designers noted. "The bed sits behind a low headboard console, keeping it out of sight when the door remains open."
Photograph by Christopher Olstein
Outfitted entirely in white, the bedroom serves as a media room with an overhead projector and blinds installed on the four arched windows opposite the bed.
All photography is credited to Matthew Williams except where otherwise indicated.
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Project team credits:
Project Team: Joshua Weiselberg, Selin Semaan, Meagan Pauley, Alexander McCargar Contractor: Cardinal Construction
