56 LEONARD AERIE

To address the asymmetry of the large living and dining room, a new ceiling fixture was created to capture the disparate axes through the space and to soften the rigid relationship between the program and the curtain wall. By creating a rounded triangular plane from plaster, free-standing in the room, the furniture and program are able to resolve themselves in complete arrangements around this new center point. A celestial sculpture is installed on the fixture by Finnish artist Ilkka Suppanen. Custom designed for the piece, hundreds of Murano crystals are suspended as a cloud to disperse the light coming from minimal downlights in the plaster. The effect is an ethereal chandelier to further soften the space.

Some dead-ends were eliminated by opening up walls to improve circulation around volumes within the apartment. To create a spatial hierarchy along the new circulation loop and to provide functionality to the program in rooms, more refined material systems were tailored to the walls. Usurping the abundance of building standard drywall in the foyer, a white lacquer panel rhythm was installed with floating corian shelves and tables to create an entry gallery and art space. In the master bedroom, the headboard wall becomes a large full-height upholstered headboard embracing the magical views to the north of the Empire State Building. As the unit belongs to the sky, the palette of furnishings, artwork, lighting, and accessories express a lightness of weight on such a high floor.