Minimalist Design and Organic Touches in Central Park West Apartment

Project: Minimalist Design Apartment
Design Interior: Messana O’Rorke
Location: Central Park West, New York
Photographs: Eric Laignel

155 Central Park West Apartment is a project completed by Brian Messana and Toby O’Rorke, partners of the New York firm Messana O’Rorke. With an area of 107 square meters, the apartment has a calm and minimalist design, with walnut paneling and other “organic” touches.

Located in the Majestic, one of the most significant buildings on Central Park West, the apartment had promising overall proportions, bright but overcomplicated spaces. The Art Deco spirit of the building along with the enthusiastic approach of the client made us think about a simple but entertaining space that both has a natural but luxurious feel to it.

Although we had the restrictions of the fixed wet areas of the bathroom and the kitchen we loosened up the apartment into 3 main spaces that unfold from one another (kitchen, living room, bedroom). Designing the kitchen with the dining table as a centerpiece dissolved the narrow and grim corridor that existed.

Recreating the bathing unit as one separate object helped setting up a stronger relationship between the living and bedroom and it visually enlarged them as well. Furthermore, in order to utilize the constraints of the apartment’s beams we developed the boundaries of the apartment as shifted blocks with offset connections and slight reveals.

The pigmented concrete tiles with their subtle texture and warm color, the pure look of the white containers and the plain wood finish of the bathing unit together create a contemplative home.