Robert Garneau, a NY-based architect, discusses 'Pivot', a pre-war studio revamped into a modern adaptable space containing a secret bedroom. The brief called for hosting 10 for dinner, sleeping 6, a home office, a private study, and an efficient kitchen for a client that loves to entertain, all within a modest 400 sf studio apartment. The project emphasizes open space while overlaying multi-functionality, transforming in response to different needs.
Extensive custom cabinetry creates various spatial experiences depending on use ranging from serene white walls to lush wood interiors. A pivoting wall cabinet divides the apartment in two where either space can be used independently when needed, revealing a wall-bed with an open-able window/niche. An expanding hydraulic table can be used for work or extended into the main space when hosting guests for dinner; it can also rise up at the push of a button for additional kitchen counter space. The shower is curb-less and overlaps a double sink, allowing more than one person to use the bathroom at a time. The entrance closet doors have built-in shelving as well as a hanging rod that illuminates when the door is opened.
Investing in multi-purpose cabinetry is a natural progression that blurs the distinction between architecture and furniture creating a seamless combination of various functions. Pivot re-imagines the studio apartment by creating a new type of space for urban living that is flexible, sustainable and invigorating.