Growth Adjustment
Liberty Wellness and Chiro took possession of a new, larger, completely undeveloped office space two floors below what had been its home at 30 Wall Street in Manhattan. Dr. Cotter, the owner of the practice, wanted his new office space to be a cutting-edge chiropractic and holistic treatment center. His goal was to create a comfortable and productive environment for his staff while simultaneously appealing to the high end clientele of the neighborhood. He wanted to reestablish Liberty Wellness and Chiro’s brand by creating a flagship office.
Studio China Architecture + Design created a layout that focused on the patient experience from arriving in the reception space to passing through to the intimacy of the massage and treatment rooms. The staff was placed along the windowed wall allowing them to work in natural light while the treatment and massage rooms were placed along walls without windows to ensure privacy. A special room to house state-of-the-art X-ray equipment and a full physical therapy room were also integrated into the design. Custom furniture was selected for the reception space, and a custom desk, credenza, x-ray viewer and wardrobe unit were designed and fabricated for Dr. Cotter’s personal office. The materials palette consisted of stone, mahogany wood and carpeting. Complementary paint colors were used. In the massage rooms, a color scheme designed to invoke a calming ambience was selected to coordinate with custom designed furnishings. The overall look is clean and sophisticated.
Studio China Architecture + Design helped the client select an appropriate contractor and oversaw the construction process to ensure each element was carried out as discussed and designed. Studio China Architecture + Design also assisted Dr. Cotter in retaining a graphic designer to design what has become an award winning logo and identity, and then collaborated with the designer to employ the proper contractors to place the branding images.
The result of this highly collaborative endeavor is a space that Dr. Cotter and his staff take great pride in every day. It has allowed them to grow their business and provide high level chiropractic care to Wall Street clientele in a luxury environment. Patients have given many unsolicited accolades about the space and the experience of visiting Liberty Wellness & Chiro.
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Open Apartment
The client, a couple and teenage son, had just purchased a three bedroom co-op space last renovated in the 1960’s. The kitchen was cut-off from the adjacent dining room, which itself was a small, dark, windowless room with a pair of coat closets located along its back wall. In the kitchen were new appliances, including a stainless steel commercial stove that had been improperly vented to the exterior. The two bathrooms in the apartment possessed old fixtures from the ‘60s renovation. The master bathroom, in particular, was extremely small though it did have one large window. The client’s desire was to open up the living space so as to allow as much natural light into the dining room as possible, as well as fully renovate both bathrooms. The couple also asked that the superficial beams found throughout the apartment be removed to create a contemporary aesthetic.
Studio China Architecture + Design eliminated the partition separating the kitchen from the dining room as well as the two poorly placed coat closets thereby allowing the two spaces to become one cohesive room. This allowed for daylight from the window in the kitchen to flood through the rooms and invigorate the entire living space of the apartment while creating sightlines and a free flow from the kitchen, through the dining room and into the living room. In an effort conserve and preserve while completely renovating the kitchen, the recently purchased appliances remained and the exhaust duct from the stove was properly rerouted.
In the master bedroom, the vanity was set floating above the floor, a single color glass tile was used on the walls and floors, and an oversized mirror was designed to help the room feel more spacious. The countertop was shaped to respond to the placement of the toilet so as to make the most economic use of the counter surface and allotted space. The window was left undressed to enliven the room with as much natural light as possible while allowing for views across the adjacent park. The second bathroom was renovated to allow for a contemporary aesthetic with glass mosaic tiles, a cherry vanity and built-in shelving as well as new plumbing fixtures. Every room was refinished and painted to further enhance the liveliness of the apartment.
The final result is a living area with an open floor plan allowing for light flow, cross ventilation, and sightlines that facilitate interaction between family members and guests. The apartment is a very warm and inviting space in which to live and entertain. The clients report that many friends and family admire their home and covet the openness, something which is so rarely found in city apartments. Studio China Architecture + Design helped to transform this outdated 60s space into a design that is no longer mod, yet still modern.