Rockhill Construction Is a Steward for Craft in Chelsea Condo


While star-chitects bask in the glory of their completed projects, contractors and construction companies responsible for realizing those designs are often overlooked. And at no fault of their own, so too is the general public unaware of the difference between things like interior architecture and interior design – the articulation of functional space through building and the making of interior atmospheres through aesthetics, respectively. Manhattan-based Rockhill Construction, and their network of adept craftsmen, offer a masterclass in collaborative making with their Chelsea Condo project.

The roughly 3,000-square-foot, full-floor flat comprises three bedrooms, three full bathrooms, one half bath, laundry, a generous kitchen, and airy catch-all living spaces that can accommodate entertaining, offer respite from the din of city living, or host a late night charrette for the creatives who live there – all of this overlooking the High Line. Central to the concept, and subsequently material narrative, are the residents’ personalities. Studio LOVEISENOUGH – who translated those intangibles into an experiential interior architecture – entrusted that Rockhill Construction would imbue their handiwork with the same spirit.

A dimly lit hallway in featuring wooden paneled walls, a vase with branches on a sideboard, and minimalistic decor.

A warm-toned room in featuring a wooden table with a tall vase holding white flowers, beside a window and under soft lighting.

Spacious modern living room in with large windows, leather furniture, and a city view, featuring wooden floors and white walls.

Modern living room with white walls, large windows, a spherical pendant light, contemporary Rockhill artwork, and minimalist furniture including a glass coffee table and plush sofas.

Modern living room with large windows, abstract wall art, and minimalist furniture including a sofa and chairs.

Modern living room corner in with a brown leather armchair, glass coffee table, and potted plants by a large window overlooking urban buildings.

Modern dining room with a large black table, oversized paper pendant light, and wooden sideboard, featuring minimalist decor and large windows.

Modern living room with a large abstract painting, minimalist furniture, and a view of through floor-to-ceiling windows.

A cozy study corner in with wooden shelves holding books, decorative items, and a small white lamp, above a desk with stationery and a chair.

Modern study area with a glass table, black chairs, open book, lamp, and a small plant, overlooking large windows with city view.

Tasked with unique requests, the builder assembled this architectural machine whose mission is in service of humanity, where guests are immediately greeted upon entry to the elevator foyer by the first of several interventions, which begins with a built-in bench for daily rituals as homeowners come and go. The curvaceous form complements the body’s shape and borrows warmth from the refurbished oakwood floors as if it has cataloged a lifetime of homeowners. Circulation through the residence is constantly cushioned by millwork, thresholds, and plaster wall finishes that beg one’s touch to linger. Leaning into the intimacy of space, a more private circulation corridor was created for concealed flow. In addition to Rockhill’s know-how, the ability to create custom millwork in-house made rerouting foot traffic and concealing building systems seamless with the design.

Modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances, marble countertops, and wooden floor, located in a high-rise building with city views.

A modern kitchen with stainless steel cabinets, marble countertops, and a central island with bar stools.

The kitchen elaborates on the warmth generated by the wood found at the entry and in the primary living spaces – and is exemplary of the construction company’s technical prowess. Vast swaths of muddied marble are contrasted with stainless steel custom cabinetry in a seemingly weathered finish that only adds to the home’s persona. The rounded corners of cabinet doors take their cues from the pattern established in the backsplash. The softened corners are created by cutting 404 stainless steel with a water jet, given a brush finish, and laminated to walnut substrates. Marble was also made kinetic with pivot hinges on stone doors to create an appliance garage. “Our technical team, capable of realizing the most remarkable solutions to design directives, proposed the assembly as a means to realize the soft close and touch latch design,” says Rockhill. “For me, personally, it was proof of concept that a shared vision can be realized.”

Modern kitchen with marble countertops and backsplash, featuring a white vase with green poppy stems and chrome faucet.

A modern kitchen with stainless steel cabinets and appliances, featuring a Rockhill marble backsplash and countertop.

Narrow hallway at with wooden doors and floors, leading to a window displaying a vase on a pedestal; sunlight illuminates the space.

Modern bedroom in featuring two twin beds, large windows with city view, an armchair, and minimal decoration.

A minimalist bedroom with two beds, a large mirror, and a chair by a tall window overlooking a city building.

Modern living room with an abstract painting above a black sideboard that displays books and a lamp, next to a minimalist armchair.

Though the project passed through a variety of hands to arrive at this place – from conceptualization of interior architecture, through construction, and onto interior design and staging – Rockhill has been a steward for the space. “Somehow that apartment, which is so generous in its proportions, sitting up high over the Hudson, with subtle references to the Space Age and travel, comes alive while vacant, which makes it all the more poetic. It becomes its own satellite for a moment.”

Modern bedroom with large windows, a plush bed with pillows, a bench at the foot, a patterned rug, and minimal décor.

Modern bathroom with a large mirror, wooden vanity, freestanding tub, and open window showing city view.

A modern bathroom vanity with black drawers, a large mirror, decorative vases, and a city view through windows.

To learn more about the creatives at play visit rockhill.nyc and studioloveisenough.com.

Home staging by Hovey Design. Photography by Shannon Dupre

With professional degrees in architecture and journalism, Joseph has a desire to make living beautifully accessible. His work seeks to enrich the lives of others with visual communication and storytelling through design. Previously a regular contributor to titles under the SANDOW Design Group, including Luxe and Metropolis, Joseph now serves the Design Milk team as their Managing Editor. When not practicing, he teaches visual communication, theory, and design. The New York-based writer has also contributed to exhibitions hosted by the AIA New York’s Center for Architecture and Architectural Digest, and recently published essays and collage illustrations with Proseterity, a literary publication.



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