The Rosen Residence is a high-concept, low budget renovation – showing how even in a recession, and with limited resources, one can use creative problem solving to completely transform two typical NYC studio apartments.

The design is based on five modes of inhabitation – based on a performative analysis the client’s lifestyle. These range from “Task Mode” to “Veg Mode”, where parameters are levels of purpose vs. levels of comfort. The analysis determined a cyclical structure between these relationships, which developed into the plan that allows the occupant to transition between these modes as he navigates the residence.

Lighting became a key design element, emphasizing the cyclical nature of the project, but also became the primary means to transform the look & feel of the apartment using light coves and shallow drops of the ceiling to differentiate the different areas and hold the fixtures.

To maximize the budget, Soluri Architecture worked with the client to build the project in a hybrid design/build format. Workers and sub-contractors were hired directly by the owner with substantial on-site direction from the design team. To save costs, the kitchen and bathrooms remained in their original locations, with some existing bathroom fixtures selectively re-used and a new kitchen purchased from IKEA. Most finishes we kept simple and inexpensive so funds could be utilized strategically.