NESHAT RESIDENCE by sOhO, ny

I-Beam was asked by the internationally renowned artist, Shirin Neshat, to renovate her loft where Shirin and her family could live and work productively, and entertain their international artist friends and patrons.

We created a multi-functional yet open loft like space that accommodates both the private as well as the grand public space that serves social events, film screenings, private dinners and fund raising events. By repositioning the two small bedrooms that broke up the loft into dark and separate areas and relocating them to the back, a dramatic public space is created that is immediately entered upon stepping out of the elevator.

Large transoms at the dividing wall provides light to be filtered into the family room from the South and magnificently high arched windows in the front illuminates the public space during the day. In addition to the guest bathroom, a small master bathroom was created adjacent to the bedroom, with a secret vanity concealed into the new closet, whereby maintaining a spacious bedroom.

The minimal but functional kitchen, as the social center of the home decorator, is integral to the main space with plenty of storage cabinets and a long island bar that is used for informal family gatherings and heated debates. The bar also functions as a buffet for the fundraising events that these culturally magnetic clients are famous for hosting. The kitchen separates the formal living room area from the casual family room where a state of the art projector and sound system is incorporated into the walls for film screenings.

The dining area is defined by an ornate glass chandelier, a dramatic piece that animates the large open space and reflects Shirin’s personal style. The desks at the work area,are incorporated within the library and ribbon around three adjacent walls as vertical support that turn into shelving. The stained oak ribbon in contrast to the white shelves and cabinets, matches the floor. The 10” wide oak wood floor planks and the fourteen foot high ceiling as well as the big metal clad industrial sliding door that separates this loft from the adjacent building maintain the raw feeling of the old loft that was once part of the manufacturing district in Soho.