Manhattan II

The client presented us with a unique challenge: reimagine a 10' x 15' foyer which lacked definition and point of view. Looking to legendary architect Sir John Soane's own home, we aimed to celebrate the client's own spirit of the collector, and create an aperture to an astonishing volume and variety of decorative arts, books and works on paper. Devising an art hanging system from common materials such as copper plumbing and steel chain, which reflected the industrial nature of the building, we sought to elevate the mundane to the extraordinary and accommodate an ever-evolving rotation of pochoirs, gouaches, and paintings. Silk burlap, a moody palette, and sublime textiles form the back drop to a vast treasure of books, dinanderie, and French pottery in the rooms beyond, all of which were given a curatorial polish.