Magdalena Keck Interior Design, an established studio based in New York City known for its conceptual, minimalist approach, has completed a year-long project — a 1,500-square-foot apartment located on the 63rd floor of the Four Seasons Private Residences in Tribeca. The building, the second tallest residential property in downtown Manhattan at 926 feet, was designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects and developed by Silverstein Properties — the eponymous firm that continues to play a pivotal role in the revitalization of the area.
The top floors of the 82-story building, known as the Four Seasons Private Residences New York Downtown, have 157 residences, ranging from one to six bedrooms, all reached through a dedicated residential lobby at 30 Park Place. Below the private homes is a 189-room Four Seasons Hotel, with a separate lobby on Barclay Street, which opened in September 2016. The 63rd floor apartment, designed by Keck, is a two bedroom that offers panoramic views of the New York Harbor with large windows that allow the residence to feel as if it is suspended in the sky. Keck’s design was inspired by the atmosphere present at 700 feet, and she says that the space is “composed of warm whites and soft textures, underlined by decisive forms.” She adds that there is “a sense of oneness and completeness rooted in an awareness of lighting, composition, and balance.”
The Four Seasons residence is the third project that Keck has completed for the client and was done simultaneously with the design of his weekend home in the Catskills. “It was interesting to experience the design process in parallel, working with different spaces and concepts,” says Keck. “The client also is a designer and photographer with a sensibility that is in tune with mine.” The apartment is designed in such a way that the artwork could change over time. All furnishings were chosen to both serve a function and to exist as objects in the space; they range from contemporary pieces and vintage finds to custom pieces designed by Keck specifically for the project including the cabinet in the living room; the lucite desk and cabinet in the study/guest room, and the nightstands in the master bedroom.
The foyer was approached as a welcoming, tone-setting space; it hosts four essential objects: a braided jute rug by Nanimarquina, an oversized steel mirror by Ohio, a glossy red i-beam table designed by Keck, and a mirrored glass ceiling light. The dining room, which offers stunning views of the water and sky, is composed of a bleached solid maple dining table by Mark Jupiter and Densen dining chairs by Egg Collective. The table is set against a breathtaking black and white photograph of a rocky shoreline by Robert Andersen; a dramatic pendant light by Michael Anastassiades hangs low above the table grounding the atmospheric experience. The Dominic McHenry sculpture, made of pigment, wax, and wood, marks the living room entrance.
Contemporary écru Frank sofas by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia and a soft, warm white mohair rug form an airy living room that includes a Pasmore chair and footrest made from walnut and woven leather as well as Mid-century rosewood nesting tables by Rex Raab for Wilhelm Renz Germany. A painting by Larry Lee Webb, titled #2 Cartouche, becomes an abstract reflection of the sky and clouds surrounding it.
A trio of photographs, also by Robert Andersen, captures the spirit of Marfa, Texas in the master bedroom. The photographs are in dialogue with the Donald Judd print, Untitled, 1978, opposite of them. A Trix floor lamp by Marcel Wanders for Moooi and a Pisa table lamp offer diffused atmospheric light while an Italian 1960s daybed upholstered in black Perrine Rousseau fabric reflects the mood of the photography above and is a dark response to the Pierro Lissoni bed in textured natural linens. The Pedrera table designed by Antonio Gaudi is another sculptural element in the space; it’s a study in how function, form, lines, negative space, and light create harmony when objects and materials are artfully arranged.