FR Review:
The creative minds behind Lee Skolnick’s partnership build a narrative rather than just a house, bringing a human touch to a fluidly modern aesthetic. Inspired by the natural landscape at hand and considerate of personal preference - like an avid reader who might enjoy extra built-ins for all of his books - projects evoke both a sense of discovery and familiarity. Studying the space from the inside out, and then considering it from the outside in, this firm takes into account details like the way sunlight will fall on the house throughout the day before any sketching begins. And when the conference room feels more like a dinner table where everyone—generations young and old moving onto a family compound—gets a say, it’s no wonder this “all ears” architect has the tenacity to dovetail the client vision.
Before they met at Cooper Union, Skolnick and partner Paul Alter were each headed down paths some might call unconventional for now esteemed architects. Skolnick, a lifelong musician, pursued this talent in college with the hope of discovering a new passion within the interwoven disciplines of liberal arts; Alter grew up building boats, happiest when crafting something with his own two hands. They each craved innovation and an end product, but of their own design. Today, clients–a majority of whom are close friends with the principals (which relationship came first, neither parties can recall)–experience the inventiveness and integrity that come with such ambition. While Skolnick keeps up on trends in materials (beyond sustainability; think: transparent concrete), Alter focuses on details like sourcing not only the highest quality, but the right species of wood, each contributing their signature touch.
This firm of 25 tackles projects as large as 24,000 square feet and eight-figure budgets. Though some are lucky enough to hire them on a relatively modest scale (a 1,500 square foot studio/office totaling around $1 million), others admit they outsource to keep up with the punch list after moving into their towering homes. While our records show the firm has taken over pockets of Greenwich Village and the Hamptons, its work is recognized in structures around the globe, most notably in large-scale museums like Bulgaria’s Muzeiko. Prospective clients should not be intimidated by this international, multi-market resume, however; sources going on 30 years say the personalized service is as good as ever. Typically working with one partner or the other - creatives love Skolnick’s dedication to the arts; coop boards are yet to find an architect who is both as patient and technically on-point as Alter - homeowners can expect attention whenever they ask for it, and then some.
Representative Client Comments:
"Walking through our home is like a journey through the land itself; there are multiple levels throughout broken up by several steps following the natural terrain of the land; it's unreal." "We never interviewed anyone else. I was immediately struck that Lee's line of inquiry dealt with how we lived, rather than probing our architecture and design preferences (that, of course, came later). He also placed a great deal of emphasis on the trust we had to place in each other in order for the project to go smooth and to be successful: on time, on budget and to our satisfaction." "Lee always managed to be simultaneously conceiving of the house from the outside in and the inside out." "The design phase was the most fun. We had done a great deal of preparation and compiled a fairly large folder full of photos and clippings, which I believe enabled us to hit the ground running." "The firm also managed the construction process for us, so that took a great deal of weight off our shoulders." "They aspire to make beauty; rooms are well scaled, comfy, airy, useful, artful." "We would explain what we wanted in general terms and they just get it - the vision, with empathy, and no signature style." "It takes tenacity, integrity and collaboration to be truly creative; I'd use those three words to best describe this firm." "I wholeheartedly recommend this company."
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