In a newly constructed multifamily-residential development in New York City’s East Village, the architects had a unique opportunity to honor a client’s desire to combine two penthouse condominiums and connect them with a helical slide.

Design concept and solution:
In this transformation, two identical 1,200-square-foot one-bedroom units, one on top of the other, were combined into a two-bedroom home with the option to descend in the usual way down a stair, or more speedily, in a seated position, careening through the new double-height atrium on a slide.

The half-tube stainless-steel slide starts on the top floor near the office, and lands below near both the living and dining areas. The sculptural slide is housed in a newly created 18-foot-tall, double-height space, which includes custom-designed glass railings. The image of the stainless steel curves in front of the oversized window to the city beyond—to say nothing of the irrepressible glee of grown adults on the slide—is an unexpectedly elegant addition to the space.

Upon completion, the owner enjoys not only the whimsical slide as well as the newly combined total of 2,400 square feet, but also to be able to work and play in a new game room, office, and a golf putting green on the terrace.

Total construction cost: $190,000