Dec 1, 2026
LOT-EK lectures at RIT Vignelli Center, Rochester
concept & vision
we flank the building staircase at the center of the space with two tunnels fashioned from 63 upcycled commercial steel doors to compressed service and mechanical needs into the middle portion of the apartment and free the open front and rear areas
program & use
one tunnel distributes all service areas – bathrooms wardrobe, laundry, storage, while the other, wider, tunnel houses a custom dining area, centered around a custom table of reclaimed sassafras and steel which comfortably seats 12. A built-in banquette, also from salvaged metal doors, provides seating along one length of the table, and includes hidden storage
impact & significance
originally two units combined by previous owners to encircle the central staircase, the original layout resulted in significant wasted space, awkward connections, and dark interiors. Our challenge to reconsider the difficult layout toward an open space maximizing storage encouraged the transformation of the least-interesting areas, now the most playful and surprising spaces, providing a unique distribution and character to the apartment
