Can a strict and understated design evoke a sense of whimsical wonder and discovery?

The original layout of the New York apartment, on the second floor of a cast-iron building, placed all the main living functions within the same open space, with the kitchen, dining and living areas placed at the ends, leaving the center empty and unused

It is unusual to break up a majestic, light-filled space. Yet the owners, a young couple who had lived there for several years, were confident that separate spaces would better suit their needs. Nakworks fully embraced this challenge, breaking up the one finished room and replacing it with smaller spaces that did not immediately reveal their boundaries

The new sequence of spaces and views from room to room leave the mind wandering. In the final version, the revised interior layout revolves around a discreet new element: a room-sized wooden box, hidden in plain sight inside the apartment

Its interior - clad in wood like a Renaissance studiolo - is warm and rich. The careful construction of the box, by Japanese woodworker Takeshi Miyakawa, gives it a kind of meticulous preciousness. A translucent finish emphasizes the rich plywood pattern. The most striking feature of the table is a double table top. Structurally, the layered table top acts as a beam to prevent bending. Functionally, the lower table top provides a quick transition from work to dining room as computers, drawings, and documents are quickly stored away. A more clandestine detail of the table is completely hidden from view

A gap in the lower table top provides secret access to the lower compartments, accessible only to those who choose to crawl underneath. While one reason for the gap is to prevent dust accumulation, the gap also becomes something more