DONALD CANTILLO ARCHITECT

DCA took advantage of this apartment's location atop an Italianate brownstone to allow a flood of natural light in from rooftop skylights. The previously dark and cluttered interior was brightened, the plan simplified and the details modernized creative use of materials produced a sense of luxury and refinement. Double height lacquered cabinets in various parts of the apartment provide storage while accentuating ceiling heights. 

Planning began in 2008 for a roof terrace after DCA completed the apartment renovation. Various obstacles drew out the process over 15 years, but the result has everything the owners wanted. A crisp clean outdoor environment with striking views of the nearby church. Among the obstacles was the need for a steel superstructure to span from wall to wall to raise the multi-tiered terrace over the existing roof membrane and building utilities. The steel frame was complicated by the pre-existing skylight configuration, and other rooftop elements. A party wall shared with neighbors to the west needed to be reinforced and raised to accommodate the three tiered terrace required for the angle of the existing roof slope.