"It's a really special spot. When you start at the top and move down the gently sloped ramp, you almost feel like a marble tumbling down, looking at art as you roll by. The slight slant plays with your sense of perspective and grounding."
The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously to recognize the 1889 Romanesque Revival school building for its architectural significance and its role in expanding educational opportunities for women, immigrants, and working-class New Yorkers.
The selected proposal was described by the jury as 'exemplary,' highlighting its capacity to balance formal clarity with sensitivity to context while establishing a dialogue with the existing Sainsbury Wing.
Born in New York City, Meg Darda eventually moved away from the city for life, school and work reasons. With her husband, macro economist Mike Darda, they spent over 20 years making the commute into the city, "always making time for a night out in the West Village," Meg begins. "It was our favorite neighborhood to eat, wander, and imagine a future where we might someday have a little place of our own there."
reBuild Workshop took a different tack in this three-story late 19th century row house, giving each half of the parlor floor its own distinct identity. The living room at the front remains generously laden with Victorian woodwork, while the kitchen/dining room at the rear is a totally new, mid-century-inspired space with a California vibe, filled with light and overlooking the garden. The modern additions were kept deliberately restrained in order to foreground the house's historic character.