At VAKOTA, we have been working on historic buildings for over a decade – and we have learned a lot in that time about respectful and sympathetic design when it comes to making changes to old, beloved buildings.
One such historic building is the 92nd Street townhouse. We have been commissioned to restore to its original grandeur. Originally a music school, this townhouse has been through many phases and iterations. Once broken down into a multi-family house, with separated spaces and rooms, it was then turned into an apartment building. The current owner has asked us to recapture some of its classic charm by restoring it to a single family home.
Our initial design was one that boasted modernity. However, through our research and work with New York’s award-winning non-profit, Landmark West, this design evolved into one of preservation. We have learned over the years that respecting and understanding the character of a building is key to getting these projects absolutely right.
Approaching renovation with preservation in mind
There are two key theories of preservation when it comes to historic buildings. The first is to preserve all the way back to the building’s inception. The second is to restore it to an ‘acceptable’ time-period. For example, if the house was built in the late 1800s, do you restore it to 19th century design, or build it back to say, the 1950s, where it remained original but started to go off-track?
At VAKOTA, our approach is a little of both! There is a balance to be struck. Houses can have modern amenities like electricals, air conditioning and insulation, while keeping a building’s original character.
We focus on this as a goal – bringing both up-to-date home comforts and energy conservation into these spaces to make them healthy homes – but keep as much of what is original as possible.
In the 92nd Street property, we are restoring original fireplaces that have been modified throughout the years. We are returning their original character, bringing them as close to their original designs as possible, while still functioning in a safe way.
Keeping up with modern life
A few of our Upper West Side projects are similar. We are working with owners who really understand and cherish the history and original beauty of these houses, who want to bring back as much as they can of the original character of the house. But we also understand that lifestyles have changed. These houses no longer require servants’ kitchens and old-fashioned formal layouts.
Back in the 19th century, when a lot of these houses were built, entertaining guests took a far more formal route through the house. Guests would enter for cocktails, move to the dining room for their meal, then to the sitting room. These days, open plan homes are more popular. The rigorous structure of entertaining is no longer a consideration when it comes to layout design.
This is why we work so hard to find a balance of restoration and renovation. We find what is important and significant enough to keep, and we restore it. But we also allow ourselves room to create, while remaining respectful to the building. For example, in our 92nd Street project, we have created a music studio for the owner’s recording artist son. It accommodates modern acoustic absorption and sound/ vibration isolation, but is also a nod to the building’s original function as a music school.
We have also built a two-story library – something which did not exist in the original design of the house. However, we researched the original architects, Janes and Leo, to ensure that we were perfectly reflecting the style and character of their homes which included libraries, and not creating something obnoxious or out of place.
Renovation without destroying
Of course, there are times where an original fitting is significant enough to keep – but still does not fit in with the new purpose of the house.
The 92nd Street project, for example, has ornate beams that no longer fit into the context of that room. So we have put together a plan to drop the current 12 foot ceiling in order to hide them, without removing them – so that in the future, they can be restored.
In some cases, unfortunately, we are unable to do this. Sometimes a building is cared for so badly, and is so dilapidated, that it is past the point of restoration. When the historic element cannot be preserved – is it our responsibility to recreate a faux historic house in its place? In these situations, we try our best to document as much of the original structure as possible.
When it comes to historic renovation, the ongoing question remains – where do we stop time? We faced this question on our 92nd Street property, and when working on countless others such as the Park Slope Townhouse. We have learned through years of experience with landmark properties just how important this balance, and this question, is. We can be respectful of history – but we cannot create faux history in its place. The key lies in an acute understanding and respect for the history and character of a property – it is this sympathetic attitude towards renovation that makes our renovations a success from both a design and preservation perspective.
Stephen Taylor, Principal, VAKOTA
