That’s exactly what the AD100 duo set out to do when they decided to leave their Manhattan studio of 20 years because the labyrinthine industrial area had outgrown it. At that time, their architecture and design practice expanded to encompass retail, restaurant, and fine art concepts with the launch of Roman and Williams Guild, La Merserie, and Guild Gallery. The larger office will not only allow the company to bring these teams together under one roof and fuse their creative minds, but will also enable the company to produce internationally acclaimed projects, among them Chef Jean – It will also serve as a showcase for the expansive spirit that has come to define Georges’ Tin Building. , the British Gallery at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Gwyneth Paltrow’s home. “We wanted to bring the same generosity to our staff as we do to our customers,” Standefer said, stressing that his colleagues should be steeped in the same craftsmanship and personality as the company’s interiors.
The staff meeting room is off the plan in white oak with a Dado bench and a prototype for a future trestle table.
Photo: Clement Pascal.
Above Alesch’s drafting table hangs an Oscar pendant by the Roman and Williams Guild.
Photo: Clement Pascal
Alesch’s workshop.
Clement Pascal Art: Jean-Marc Louis. Stephen Alesch.
Housed in a 1920s building, the new Tribeca Lofts was immediately appealing due to its historic bones and flexible layout. “Stephen and I are moved by the architectural story,” she says of the trapezoidal space. It is currently divided into a mixture of public and semi-private areas. Elevator doors open directly into the entrance hall, which leads to a large meeting room for presentations and an open-plan work area designed to foster collaboration. Standefer and Ales have their own offices. She’s a quiet corner to brainstorm big ideas, and he’s a nifty workshop to roll up his sleeves. There is also a staff meeting room and kitchen, giving it an enviable residential feel. White oak sets the overall atmosphere. Mr. Standefer said: “We wanted to create an environment with some kind of tranquility.”
The staff kitchen and dining area features Oscar pendants, Angelica Four-Two tables, Catalpa sofas, and Stockholm dining chairs, all by Roman and Williams Guild.
Photo: Clement Pascal
Kitchen sink accessories are made by Roman and Williams for Waterworks.
Photo: Clement Pascal
As with Roman and Williams’ other projects, the room rewards close inspection. The jagged drawers of these flat files slide open to reveal a treasure trove of material samples and sources of inspiration, what Alesch calls a “taxonomy of bits.” They include a Japanese broom, a chestnut from the Montauk beach house the couple owned, and his original guild insignia, hand-painted in black ink. Every day, Standefer assembles different objects to create three-dimensional collages for design schemes, while Alesch paints in his studio. (“It’s a real pas de deux,” she says of their creative partnership.) Elsewhere, a block of granite that was part of the Standard Hotel grounds and the Guild Gallery Easter eggs from past hits are on display, including early pottery works by artists from the past. Casey Zablocki. On the other hand, above the table and overhead, guild lighting literally acts as the embodiment of a bright idea.
