The Penthouse

Branding

East Meets West above Manhattan

Background
ODA New York is known for the architecture and design of many large-scale residential and commercial buildings in the U.S. and internationally. It is rare that they take on an individual apartment. This was, however, no ordinary residence — one of the largest in Manhattan — stretching across two floors and 20,000 square feet and showcasing one of the world’s largest private art collections. ODA asked us to create a film about the penthouse that would assist them in gaining access to a new area of work: cultural institutions, such as museums and opera houses.

Challenges
The film explores the apartment’s unusual blend of western and eastern aesthetics and an incredible variety of materials and finishes employed in the museum-like public spaces and the luxurious private quarters. The biggest challenge for us was to find a way to tie the apartment’s diverse components together. In response, we formulated an approach that included the use of actors who “inhabited” the spaces and embodied the East-West encounter, which provides narrative cohesion to the film.

Results
The completed films, a short and long version, are featured on ODA New York’s website and is part of their presentation portfolio when vying for commissions and architectural prizes. Since the film was produced ODA has begun designing projects for cultural institutions in New York, Berlin, Dessau, Moscow, Dessau, and Seoul.

Our Client

ODA New York

Our Role

Content Strategy
Story Development
Production
Post-Production

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