interview with annabelle selldorf on her latest high-end residential in greenwich village

annabelle selldorf is known for her subtly luxurious style and discreet taste. she has completed works which range from high end residences for new york’s elite to interior renovations of cultural institutions such as the john hay library at brown university and the neue galerie museum in new york. among her latest projects, including an expansion of new york’s frick collection museum, is a 22-story, 52-unit residential tower in new york’s greenwich village.

as a proud resident of the village herself, selldorf has an understanding and respect for the sidewalk life of the neighborhood. designboom had the chance to interview with selldorf on how this new tower embraces the history of the village both culturally and architecturally.

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designboom (DB): can you start by explaining 21 east 12th street? what are the key features of the design? 

how has the history of the neighborhood affected the design process, and how does the project embrace this history?

annabelle selldorf (AS): we very much believe that architecture should be specific to its location, context and program. at 21 east 12th street we were responding both to the immediate context of university place and greenwich village at large. the building has punched windows and is clad in cast stone which resonates with the classic prewar apartment buildings of greenwich village. by creating a 2-story podium base for the building we were able to set the upper portion back from the street which allows more light to flow to the individual apartments but also to the street itself. the storefront podium, which is punctuated with dark aluminum mullions, also provided an opportunity to continue the intimate retail tradition on university place. I think people who choose to live in greenwich village have an appreciation for history and a human scaled pedestrian street life. the building continues in that tradition but with modern amenities and generous apartment layouts that are comfortable for individuals, couples and families.

I think people really care about the quality of the space which they will call home. well proportioned, balanced spaces, with good light, provide a sense of calm and respite, that is needed more and more today. 21 east 12th has been designed with great precision and attention to detail in all areas. the materials are of the highest quality and provide excellent space for living. all of the apartments are corner units which allows for great natural light and are also very flexible in their layouts. the shared garden terrace at the 3rd level will be a special place for all the building owners to enjoy.

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DB: has your experience with institutional and cultural projects — museums, galleries — affected the way you would design a residential project?

AS: all successful architectural projects must have a concern for human scale: how the body feels in space, what it feels like to be in a room etc. I think all of work has a very keen sense of human proportion and scale that we are able to bring to all of our building projects be they cultural or residential.

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DB: regarding your in-progress expansion of the frick collection, what are some significant similarities or differences you have seen between this project and your transformation of the nearby neue galerie?

AS: both of the buildings were designed by carrére and hastings as private residences but henry clay frick always had the idea in mind that his residence would become a museum at some point. it has now been operating as a museum since 1937 and we are planning an expansion and renovation that will allow it to better meet its programmatic needs and enhance the visitor experience all while maintaining the wonderful intimacy and character of the historic house as we know it. at neue we were starting from a very different place with a building that had not been used as a house in many decades and had not been maintained in the best condition. our challenge was to convert the building into a museum with all of the modern technical requirements of a 21st century museum while also still maintaining the historic character and domestic scale of the original residence. in both cases the museums offer a wonderfully unique opportunity to experience great art and architecture in smaller scaled and historically detailed rooms.

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DB: what originally made you want to study architecture? what particular aspects of your background and upbringing have shaped your design principles and philosophies?

AS: I come from a family of designers and my father was an architect so in some ways it might have been inevitable that I would become an architect as well. I did initially consider other things but quickly came to realize that architecture was a profession that would allow my creativity to work towards improving the world around me. I believe that architecture profoundly shapes our experience of the world and can contribute to making a more diverse, equitable and sustainable future.

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DB: now that computer generated visualizations are so commonplace, do you still use physical scale models or sketch designs by hand?

AS: yes, our office builds models at a range of scales all the time. we find them very helpful for our own design process as well as for communicating ideas with clients. I am also a big proponent of sketching by hand as I feel it keeps one connected to proportion and scale that can easily get lost if you are only designing with the computer.

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DB: outside of architecture, what are you currently interested in and how is it influencing your designs?

AS: I have always been very involved with art and artists and spend a lot of time visiting galleries and museums and looking at art. my interests in art are wide ranging from the ancient to the contemporary. I have never thought about it as a direct influence on my architecture but rather than I get inspiration from the quality of ideas –- and commitment to expression –- that i encounter in art.

image courtesy of brigitte lacombe

DB: what is the best advice you have received, and what advice would you give to young architects and designers? 

AS: coming from germany to new york to study architecture gave me an opportunity to travel at a young age and to experience a culture and see places that were very different from where I had grown-up in cologne. I think it is very important for people to travel and see things in person. with the proliferation of images on the internet today one can often feel that you have seen something but in fact nothing can replace the actual experience of being in a place – seeing a great building or painting right in front of you or walking through a market square surrounded by the sights, smells, sounds and tastes of a new place.