Manhattan Townhouse Addition

A brownstone without a core was revitalized by the addition of a dramatic new two-story high dining room offering a luminous stage for dinners accommodating 12 to 34 guests using twin satinwood tables. North-facing steel windows and doors with French balconies overlook an instant forest screening an institutional neighbor. The addition, located in an historic district, recalls an earlier period when Manhattan townhouses were extensively reconfigured, the 1920’s, sharing some of their inspiration, the private houses of early 20th century Vienna, particularly Ludwig Wittgenstein’s design work (and his hardware).