The owner had a particular interest in the different effects that can be achieved by combining the traditional and the new - the incorporation of old-style furniture and finishes into a modern shell or, in this case, putting 20th century furniture, artwork and fabrics into a space expressed in a traditional architectural language.

Located on the Upper West Side of one of New York’s five boroughs, Manhattan’s First Passive House is a grand display of what a townhouse can truly be – regal, modern and tantalizingly textured. The front facade appears like many New York spaces; toned to match the city’s allure, while the back of the house …