The Sterling Mason is a Tribeca condominium comprising a restored and renovated warehouse built in 1905 and a new metallic addition that duplicates every detail of the original masonry building in marine-grade aluminum and plasma-finished GFRC panels. Many historic Tribeca warehouse were expanded in a style reflecting the tastes or technologies of the time, revealing the historic progression of the city. Sterling Mason follows this tradition, using the materials and technologies of today to imitate the appearance of traditional construction methods — a technique reminiscent of using cast-iron to imitate stone. Although it has invited comparisons to a Warhol painting and photographic negative, the architectural “copy” was initially inspired by its site, which precisely mirrors the dimensions of the original building’s lot, suggesting the warehouse had been halved. The union of old and new continues inside, where the two structures share a landscaped courtyard bringing light and air into all of the building’s apartments, which thoughtfully balance the open plans of contemporary loft buildings with the character of classic prewar apartments. By using contemporary building methods to create a sense of historic continuity, the Sterling Mason invites visitors to reexamine the architecture of the city.

Image Credits: DBOX, Field Condition