There is a wide debate as to where the practice of architecture ends. Is it the point where only the design is completed before construction? Well, Kushner Studios begs to differ. Their level of inclusivity and motivation follows their mission statement- “Design begins before the client arrives and doesn’t end until after the owner takes the keys”.
New York-born and bred architect Adam Kushner started Kushner Studios back in 1994. The firm’s Design-Build concept is reflected in their active engagement in the construction after the design process through its related general contracting firm. In House Group, Inc. Based in New York, their outstanding portfolio has made them distinguished especially in their restaurant, brewery, and residential designs.
Here are 15 Iconic Projects by Kushner Studios Architecture + Design, P.C.
1. Barrow Street Apartment
It is hard to imagine the cityscape of Manhattan without subways and the myriad use of glass and steel. Perhaps this is what inspired the architect to use the seemingly common elements of the city like subway train doors in an uncanny way in the apartment.
The communal space at the bottom with a modern kitchen boasts the use of brick and wood while the upper floor has a different aesthetic fused with glass and stainless steel. The curved white walls and skylight make an exquisite play of natural light in the upper floor bedrooms. The aquatic core with water pouring from above expresses the architect’s inspiration from the four elements of nature. This out of the world bold approach in using materials perhaps makes the apartment so unique in its West Village neighborhood.
2. Gardiner Estate
This undergoing project has garnered wide speculation in the world as Kushner attempts to build the United States’ first entire estate using 3D technology together with Enrico Dini’s D-Shape enterprises. This project comprises a 2400 SF main house with a pool and pool house.
In the challenging hilly landscape of Gardiner, New York, this ambitious project has created an exciting platform of experimentation for new building techniques and design principles such as in-situ resource utilization where the materials found in the site will be used for 3D construction.
3. 245 Canal Street
The striking piece of the firm’s previous office was a full-sized school bus, where the staff worked from the bus seats, the back of the bus used as impromptu conference and meetings, and the underside as an archive. This bus on the fifth floor of the Chinatown loft building might seem peculiar; it was used as a working metaphor of the principal taking the office forward. This efficient and innovative use of working space effectively utilized the areas for the proper functioning of the services.
4. Kushner Studios
Housing three businesses under one roof, this new offbeat office of Kushner Studios marks a steady evolution of the firm so far. Evolving from the bus in their previous office, a MIG 23 protrudes out of the wall, symbolizing their development in the field. Apart from the workspace and workshop, it also has an elegant collection of the principal’s vintage scooters and exquisite unconventional models.
5. Minetta Lane Residence
This 1920s Greenwich Village single-family townhouse is rich in history and found a new contemporary look by Adam Kushner. This 2800 SF building comprises residential quarters in the upper floors, a living area in the ground floor, a waterfall in the courtyard, and a 50-foot rock-climbing wall from the basement to the roof, making it one of NYC’s longest climbing walls.
6. EN Japanese Brasserie
The interior of the restaurant creates a warm ambiance through its Japanese style minimalist approach. Through high ceilings and oversized windows, the spacious dining room with an open kitchen boasts of its modernist use of materials. The mezzanine level’s three Meiji-era styled apartment private rooms and tatami-style rooms on the main level create an antique ambiance and character contemplating the contemporary Japanese cuisine served here.
7. Engine Room Audio
This 9500 SF renovated space houses a downtown NYC music recording center. A central path connects the 6 recording studios, 4 live rooms, reception, lounge, and private offices. Colorful points of reference in the cast concrete floor were illustrated through distinguishable symbols and metaphors of recording music.
8. 136 West 13th Street
The transformation of this townhouse built-in 1880 into a modern one-bedroom duplex doesn’t diminish its historical effect, rather contemplates it with a sophisticated design. Together with custom made furniture designs and restored 150-year-old beams, the basement eat-in kitchen zone creates a minimalistic hunting lodge effect. On the other hand, space above creates a bright environment with oversized windows and painted brick walls.
9. Kings County Distillery
This solid brick building has seen history unfold from 1899, for example, being the first new distillery in New York after prohibition. The restoration of the interior follows a unique taste in keeping the antiquity in effect. The design-build approach of the firm has created an exquisite destination in the world of craft booze.
10. 250 Mercer Street
With an added mezzanine, roof bulkhead, and a rooftop spa, this 1800 SF triplex home is an epitome of the modernist interior. This gut renovation project takes pride in the design-build approach of the firm without which this result might not have been possible.
11. M Wells Steakhouse
The transformation from an abandoned garage to an acclaimed steakhouse destination claimed an overwhelming work in design and construction. The establishment claims to preserve the soul of steakhouses through their old-style grilling; and to contemplate the vision, the interior created a warm and rich atmosphere. From outside, the existence of this vibrant environment seems pretty unlikely, and perhaps that’s what makes the interior so alluring and surprising.
12. Five Boroughs Brewery
From a steel plant to the present state of a micro-brewery with a tasting room, the interior has an industrial outlook to catch the ambiance of the huge taproom and its past. Moreover, it celebrates New York’s culture of the brewing industry.
13. Kubeh
The interior contemplates the middle eastern vibe of the restaurant. The barefaced brick wall and white stucco plaster together with the color palette create a vibrant environment for the foodies.
14. 53 East 10th Street
Rarely residence seems to follow such an industrial outlook like this one. It celebrates both the client’s fascination with the industrial objects and architect’s experimentation with cost-efficiency and flexibility of space.
15. Seymour Burton Restaurant
The setting of the interior celebrates conviviality more than a polished outlook. The 45′ long communal table and a yard-long handwritten menu board together with the surrounding create a friendly, homey environment led by a lawyer-turned-chef welcoming with typical NYC dishes.
