A silvery steel tentacle swirls through four stories of a bright white renovated 19th-century penthouse in New York City. Architect David Hotson turned the modern space into a playful residence for children and adults alike with the remarkable tubular slide, a floral-printed ‘nest’ accessible by a bridge, vertical climbing surfaces and a swing dangling three stories above the ground.
The polished stainless steel slide starts in an attic space with a funnel-like entrance, winds down through an interior window and offers an exit on the next floor before spiraling down three more stories. A faceted white staircase offers a more conventional way to get from floor to floor, that’s no less visually stimulating.
The nearly all-white space is punctuated with neon furniture and artwork, playful details that break up the gallery-like expanses of walls. At the center of the space is a four-story entry hall spanned by glass bridges, bringing daylight down into the living room from the upper floors.
Taking advantage of a unique space never before used as a residence, Hotson pays tribute to the architectural character of the surrounding cityscape, installing windows that perfectly frame landmarks like Frank Gehry’s residential tower and the Chrysler Building.
