Winner 2006 Palladio Award

Architects: Zivkovic Associates Architects PC  - and -  John Simpson & Partners LTD

The success of the new Carhart Mansion condominium building, comprising a landmarked classical building originally designed by Horace Trumbauer and it’s new addition, is in many respects the result of the collaborative product of several architects working in different eras, all of whom have been interested in the fundamental importance of place-making within an evolving urban context.

Site Photo (Exist. Conditions) Photo by Zivkovic Associates

The Carhart Mansion project comprised two adjacent sites, formerly owned and used by the Lycee Francais de New York and located on East 95th Street, an architecturally distinguished block just off Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.  When the Lycee decided to sell their Upper East Side buildings in 2000, (a portfolio that included not only the Trumbauer building, but also landmarked classical townhouses by Carrere & Hastings, John Russell Pope and Flagg & Chambers), architects Don Zivkovic and Brian Connolly were consulted, each of whom had worked for the Lycee on all of these historic buildings in the past and, accordingly, knew them well.  Real estate consultant the Corcoran Group, commissioned Connolly to prepare feasibility studies to illustrate to potential purchasers how each of the historic townhouses might be reconfigured for residential use, in terms of sympathetic, traditional design concepts.  Of particular interest was the pair of adjacent sites on East 95th Street which included the Horace Trumbauer building and a nondescript 1950's addition which had been unsympathetically inserted between it and Grosvenor Atterbury’s Fabbri Mansion (now the House of the Redeemer), immediately to the east.  The Trumbauer building and its annex were sold in late 2001, to a developer whose own architect proposed and obtained Landmarks Preservation Commission approval for a new modernist design solution on the site of the former school annex.   Subsequently evaluating the saleability of a mixed-style condominium, however, the developer had cause to reconsider the modernist strategy and eventually returned to the original concept of Zivkovic and Connolly in order to develop a more marketable design based on a contextual response to the existing classical architecture of 95th Street.

Exterior- Conceptual Study Image by Zivkovic Associates

With the Trumbauer and Atterbury buildings setting such a strong context, a classical solution for the combined sites was the obvious departure point for the next design studies by Zivkovic Associates.  The firm’s preliminary parti for the annex site closely followed the tripartite arrangement of the Trumbauer design, matching its rusticated base, string course and cornice lines, but setting the new building back just enough to allow Trumbauer’s building to maintain its separate identity.  And, as the adjacent courtyard on the House of the Redeemer property was itself protected by Landmark status, and thus could not be built upon, the architects had the rare opportunity to develop a second elevation which might further enhance the new building’s architectural presence in the streetscape.  Floor plans which accompanied this schematic design satisfactorily established that the combined structures could house four new luxury apartments, all of which seamlessly straddled the old and new buildings.  The 1950's annex building was demolished and Zivkovic and Connolly adapted the preliminary design to incorporate the client’s specific programmatic requirements, all the while maintaining and enhancing their classical, urban vision for the site.

Exterior Perspective Image by Zivkovic Associates

The final design included four apartments ranging in size from 7,000 to 14,000 square feet.  In keeping with the grand manner of the exterior, interior ceiling heights range from 9 to 18 feet.  And the planning was configured such that each unit had exterior space in the form of a garden, roof terraces, balconies or loggias at various levels.

Exterior View Photo by McKay Imaging

Interestingly, it was the Landmarks Preservation Commission who apparently had initial reservations about the newly-proposed classical design.  That agency, concerned about pastiche additions that do little to complement historic structures, felt it was unlikely that a classical townhouse could be built today in the substantial manner that would suitably enhance the existing context.  The Agency seemed predisposed to the previous architect’s modernist solution, perhaps feeling that such an approach might be architecturally less competitive with the two adjacent, historic mansions, both of which were individually landmarked.

Exterior Corner Photo by Jonathan Wallen

In response to these concerns, Zivkovic Associates, whose own portfolio already included several traditionally-designed stone residences, expanded their project team to include an engineering consultant, Donald Friedman, who specializes in traditional solid masonry construction techniques and other historical experts, including Higgins & Quasebarth, familiar with the requirements of executing a new classical building.  Also invited to join the team and assist with design development was London-based architect John Simpson.

Entry Foyer Photo by Catherine Tighe

Assessing the final product for Traditional Building magazine, architect and University of Notre Dame Professor, Steven W. Semes, reviewed the Landmark approval process and the achievement of the new Carhart Mansion itself, noting:  “Is this not a model for how new traditional architecture, urbanism and historic preservation should work together to bring civility and continuity to the city?   Is that not what good urban architecture is supposed to do?”

Grand Salon Photo by Catherine Tighe

And writing about East 95th Street in his weekly column, in the New York Sun, architectural historian Francis Morrone, confirms the quality and contextual success of the Carhart when he states not only that it “is quite simply one of the best buildings in Manhattan in the last half century”  but that, “The next building east   ... is also a marvelous building, designed by Grosvenor Atterbury   ... wonderfully compatible with, the works by Trumbauer and Zivkovic.”

Bedroom Photo by Catherine Tighe

For Zivkovic Associates, the achievement of the Carhart has to do with the collaborative and respectful quality of both the process and result:  “In an age when reputations of individual, high-profile ‘star architects’ are too often made on the back of buildings that deliberately seek not to be contextual, we were pleased to put together a team that understands the importance of understatement and harmony in the streetscape, and the equally important role of personal modesty in public place-making.  Although it has received a lot of attention, we like to think of our project as subdued rather than prominent.  With the new Carhart building, we feel our project might have fulfilled a vision for 95th Street that Horace Trumbauer or Grosvenor Atterbury would surely have appreciated.“

Stair Photo by Zivkovic Associates

In 2007, the firms of Zivkovic Associates Architects and John Simpson & Partners were awarded a Palladio Award for Excellence in Traditional Design, for the new Carhart Mansion.

Plan at Entry Flor Photo by Zivkovic Associates