Many homeowners would be speed-dialing their plumber if water was pouring from one level of the house to another.
But in this Manhattan apartment, water flowing from the base of a bed to the story below is by design.
“You flip a switch, and water comes cascading out,” explains listing agent Stefania Cardinali, with Corcoran West Side. “The water sparkles and shines. Sometimes it is a stream of water, and sometimes it is a blade of water. It’s an amazing space.”
The live-work, lofted apartment is just one of three units in the Gramercy Park building. The entire building is listed for $7,499,999.
Exterior
Courtesy of Stefania Cardinali
Lofted bed with waterfall
Courtesy of Stefania Cardinali
Moat
Courtesy of Stefania Cardinali
Interior
Courtesy of Stefania Cardinali
Interior living area
Courtesy of Stefania Cardinali
Indoor waterfall—and moat
The Greek Revival building was formerly a dental factory with a carriage house, dating back to 1888. The current owner, architect David Ling, bought the building in 2000, gutted it, and transformed it into what he calls an “autobiographical spatial story.”
The largest unit is the one with the waterfall, and it incorporates what was once the main floor and the lower-level carriage house.
The remarkable bed (for the brave!) is cantilevered 10 feet over a moat below, which is where the water flows.
Stepping stones are spaced across the moat to provide a dry path from the stairs to the other living spaces. The back wall is a dark blue, and water recirculates back to the top.
The curved, open shower and bathroom spaces in the main sleeping area are just as unique.
The building itself is raw, with some sharp edges, exposed beams, metal fasteners, and what some people would call unfinished areas.
In a video by Dwell, Ling talked about the space, saying, “I enjoy the contrast, and I enjoy the layering of history. I’m interested in juxtaposing polar differences in anything, really. Rough versus the smooth, cold versus warm, curved versus straight.”
His eccentric design was also featured on Netflix’s “Amazing Interiors,” in Episode 10 of Season 1.
Exterior
Courtesy of Stefania Cardinali
Loft apartment
Courtesy of Stefania Cardinali
Ling’s office space is also in the unit, below the kitchen and living areas.
The spaces in the unit are adjustable, so the number of bedrooms in the listing is just a suggestion.
“It has a very flexible use, so people who look at this building may create a store or a workspace at the bottom, and then turn the top into a residential space,” Cardinali says.
Upstairs, there are two smaller units of about 1,300 and 1,000 square feet each, with separate entrances and terraces. These spaces have more of a traditional interior design.
The building has mixed-use zoning and is in a great location.
“It’s not a traditional space,” Cardinali acknowledges. “It’s wonderful and incredibly unique to still have such interesting spaces to step into. Whether you keep it as is or you redesign it … it’s just really versatile.”
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