PowerHouse design. The team echoed
their classic shape in a new 4-story
addition above the original structure’s
seven fl oors. Four circular metal-and-glass
towers are placed exactly where the
chimneys once stood and are incor-
porated into the residential fl oor plans.
Aluminum-composite panels were selected
to clad the exterior of the addition and
complement the original brick.

REMEMBERING THE PAST
In addition to the warm copper color of the
aluminum-composite panels, the new towers
visually extend the lines of the existing build-
Four circular metal-and-glass
ing, whose historic features were retained as
towers are placed exactly
much as possible. The design team kept the
distinctive arched windows as well as some
where the razed chimneys
exposed steel and other structural elements
to capture some of the building’s original
once stood and are incorpo-
industrial feel. Yet preserving such elements
was challenging, according to Schwimmer.
rated into the residential floor
The team had to remove old coal hoppers and
remove a wall to allow for the addition, as
plans. Aluminum-composite
well as work out a tricky sequence between
panels were selected to clad
demolition and construction, given the
fragility of the century-old building.
the exterior of the addition and
“The building’s original walls were
80-something-feet high and were secured complement the original brick.
by a number of structural elements on
the interior that we had to demolish,”
Schwimmer says. “Because of that, we had
to carefully demolish a section, then stabilize
it and then do some construction before
repeating the process again.”
If the exterior of the PowerHouse condo
embraces its rugged industrial past, the
interior offers a cool minimalist aesthetic
that conveys an upscale sense of comfort and
luxury. Loft-style apartments have fl uid fl oor
plans with high ceilings and American walnut
fl oors. Kitchens feature stone countertops
and glass-tiled backsplashes with cabinets,
breakfast bars and islands marrying dark
hardwood with white lacquered wood
cabinetry. This interplay between light and
dark is mimicked in the bathrooms, which
feature marble tiling and wood-paneled
cabinets, along with oversized tubs and
double vanities. In the lobby, a limited
materials palette combines industrial
elements, such as steel in exposed girders
and a stainless-steel reception desk, with
sleek wood, glass and brick elements. 
44 FALL 2009 // RETROFIT MAGAZINE
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