David Taber Portfolio – Part 1

Below are a few of my greatest hits from back east - stay tuned for Part 2 coming in March!

 

515 Park Avenue

This luxury multi-level penthouse in central Manhattan was completely gutted, redesigned and refitted as jewel-box pied-a-terre.  White plaster walls served as a backup to the sculptural staircase and extensive contemporary art collection.  Interior partitions were held off the exterior walls to maintain sight lines throughout each floor while the continuity was further expressed with black walnut floors throughout.  2” thick acrylic pocket doors separate flowing spaces on the lower level while parchment panel and steel framed doors provide privacy on the level above.

Elliptical steel plate and black walnut stair
 



Wenge kitchen cabinetry and black slate counters
 



Stone clad bathroom and vanity
 




Parchment clad bedroom and doors, stair hall and bedroom beyond
 

Schuylerville Residence
A 16-acre wooded site with a spring-fed pond and mountain views drove the design of this new 3,200 SF residence.  Sightlines throughout the house, through numerous windows and glass doors, ensure both expansive and intimate views of the surrounding area.  For the overall design, a simple organization of discrete spaces for cars, living, and sleeping satisfied the owners' minimalist aesthetic; the massing of these three spaces is most evident from the exterior, where each space is located within its own "box."  Each box is clad in different white materials, allowing the ever-changing quality of light throughout the day and seasons to activate the subtle distinctions.

Entry breezeway, garage left house right
 

 

View into living "box" from foyer
 

Tile clad bathroom and vanity
 

 

NOMAD

This project is in collaboration with MacArthur Fellows artist, Fred Wilson and is slated for the permanent collection at Tang Museum at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY.  A modular mobile environment, NOMAD can remain “crated” and left on display or “uncrated” and reconfigured to suit different areas within the museum.  The various components can be transformed into seating, tables, bookshelves, monitors, 2 and 3-dimensional art display and an espresso bar.  Currently, full-scale mock-ups are being fabricated and tested for constructability, geometric compatibility, function and comfort.

NOMAD "crated"



NOMAD "uncrated"

2D & 3D art display components and espresso cart within the Tang Museum

Fred with book podium and (3) table mock-ups

 

AIA Seattle/Northwest Home Open House

Photographer Ed Sozhino taking photos for publication

One of our Umbrella Houses was just selected as the AIA Seattle/Northwest Home Open House for May 2013.  A committee of architects from the Seattle AIA awards six projects every year.  Each home is published in NW Home magazine and shown in an Open House tour.  The tour will be May 19th.  We'll be sending out more info when it gets closer.

NW Home Editor Shannon O'Leary interviewing owners Greg Hollon & Brenda Walsh

New Townhouse Projects at the Seattle Home Show

Paar Development, one of our key townhouse developer clients, has a booth at the Seattle Home Show this week (Feb 16-24) showing units in our Beacon Green project.  In addition to Beacon they will have two other projects on display - Westview Townhouses and Marion Green.

Beacon Green.  View from Rooftop Deck

All of the projects are courtyard townhomes, where all the units are clustered around a central commons that provides generous open space, access to natural light, and opportunities to meet neighbors & build community among the residents.

Beacon Green.  View of Common Courtyard

Beacon Green is the first project of its kind.  Featuring a structured courtyard lid over the parking area, it is the realization of many years of work to pioneer a new approach to townhouse infill (more details here).  This six unit development on the top of Beacon Hill has views to the horizon in all directions.  The units are toward the smaller & more affordable end of the market.   Beacon features an innovative parking solution that provides some units with no parking, some units with conventional parking, and some units with a smart car garage that includes the smart car!

Westview Townhomes - Street View.

Westview Townhomes is a 4 unit development on the west side of Queen Anne overlooking Interbay.  The project steps up a sloping site and features a tree lined central courtyard that provides private decks for all of the units as well as a rain garden that manages stormwater and creates a privacy screen between the units.  Westview features larger 3 bedroom units and an advantageous site that provides regional views of the city and Elliot Bay from most levels of the units.

Marion Green - Street View

Marion Green is a project that David Neiman Architects is developing as a joint venture with Paar Development.  Like Beacon Green it features a structured courtyard lid over the parking area.  Unlike Beacon, it features 3 and 4 bedroom units with 2 car garages, targeted at buyers that might normally be looking for a detached single family home.  We'll be putting out a more detailed post on this one soon.

Paar Development's booth is 632 L 10′