Expensive Places

The 9,000 square foot luxury residence designed by Stuart Parr is targeted to all marble lovers who are willing to pay 17,500,000 for a house in New York…

The luxury New York apartment offers the privacy and exclusivity of townhouse-style living with the luxury, ease, and convenience of a 24-hour doorman and private self-parking.

The aptly-named Marble House is a delight to the senses with a range of rich, harmonious surfaces: decadent imported Carrara, Striato Olimpico, Grey Bardiglio, and Crema Valencia marbles from slabs hand-selected by Parr himself; grade-A, rift and quarter-sawn, wide-plank White Oak floors laid in a chic Chevron pattern-stunning in their simplicity; custom-designed plaster crown moldings; nickel-plated hardware; and blackened steel. This masterfully-composed palette in combination with soaring ceilings and massive wood-framed windows creates a dramatic backdrop for any style of décor or artwork.

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Sliding House project by dRMM, London, is sliced into three: house, garage and annexe. The garage is pulled off axis to create a courtyard between the three. The composition is further defined by material and color; red rubber membrane and glass, red and black stained larch.

The separated forms are transformed by a 20 ton mobile roof/wall enclosure which traverses the site, creating combinations of enclosure, open-air living and framing of views according to position. This is an autonomous structure; steel, timber, insulation and unstained larch spanning recessed railway tracks. Movement is powered by hidden electric motors on wheels integrated into the wall thickness. The tracks can be extended in the future should the client wish to build a swimming pool, which may need occasional shelter.

Sliding House (uniquely) offers radically variable spaces, extent of shelter, sunlight insulation, and views. A denial of static architecture. The dynamic change is a physical phenomenon difficult to describe in words or images. It is about the ability to alter the overall building composition and character according to season, weather, or a remote-controlled desire to delight.

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