This apartment, created from a shell unit in the Manhattan Loft Corporation's Bankside development, presented several problems. The client requirement for two bedrooms, as well as the desire to maximise the living area was complicated by the relatively low ceiling heights. The only means of providing a satisfactory double height space was by combining the sleeping platforms with another function.
The split-level stone bathroom is positioned halfway between the dressing room and the master bedroom above. To allow light from the window in the bathroom to serve both the bathroom and the bedroom, the bathroom is open plan. However, as the bathroom is on a lower level, it is not visible from the bed, and so the perception of space in the bedroom is maximised.
The floor of the bathroom is like a small landscape, with varying levels and forms. The Piedra Plano Portuguese limestone floor, which is electrically heated, steps up to the bathroom and then steps down to form the bath/shower. A purpose-designed polished stainless steel swimming pool ladder provides a secondary means of access to the bathroom from the bedroom for the athletically minded.
A concrete pillar, part of the building's original structure, has been left untouched in the main living area. The kitchen is set behind a free-standing counter with a toughened glass storage shelf. This counter contains the oven, hob, preparation surfaces and waste. All surfaces within the apartment are finished in white, with smooth, flush-fitting doors and cupboards.