Amity Street Residence by Selma Akkari and Rawan Muqaddas

Longtime friends and Pratt Architecture classmates, Akkari and Muqaddas, found themselves aligned with a similar belief- that in architecture and design, a space embodies the idea of building beautiful designs that are made to last, and ensure that integrity and aesthetics take centre stage. After obtaining her Bachelor in Architecture from Pratt Institute, Selma Akkari started her career in New York, where she worked on various hospitality and residential projects. From big architecture practices, and designing ground-up buildings to smaller boutique studios crafting intimate spaces, she learnt from working in different environments and various project scales. Her design approach is guided by the understanding of construction and detail, with a focus on exploratory research and a passion for creating spaces that enhance the human experience. She explores the balance between minimal yet warm design. Rawan Muqaddas made London her base after graduating from Columbia graduate school of planning and preservation (GSAPP). She is currently working on residential and hospitality projects between London, New York, and the Middle East.

An escape from the busy Brooklyn streets, the heart of the home was carefully curated. Keeping the kitchen airy and open, it was conceived as part of the living space with an emphasis on the long marble shelf in place of upper cabinets. The shelf topped by two sconces serves as a backdrop showcasing the honed purple-green veined marble. The layout then allows the fridge to be tucked away from the dining room, leaving it unseen. The bedrooms were perceived as a moment of serenity with integrated open shelves and an ensuite walk-in closet and bathroom. An operable skylight was introduced in the second bedroom, allowing even more light to flood through the 16-window corner apartment. With adaptability in mind, an alternative floor plan was conceived, allowing the addition of a 3rd bedroom with minimal construction. The living space then remains open, boasting the two historic bay windows overlooking Amity Street.

The designers saw potential centred around the building’s legacy. A dialogue of opposites was the main theme behind the creation; minimal but warm, understated, yet rich. This idea was materialized through the pairing of an aluminium-clad kitchen against a traditional rounded arch, and hand-made ceramic tiles against soft contemporary lighting. A warm colour palette was deployed to unify the spaces by way of gentle oak floors, cream-hued walls that contrasted with dark stone, and stained wood inset bookshelves.