Stephen Wang + Associates were the architects on a gut renovation of an apartment we bought that had not been renovated since the 1940's. We were not quite ready to "hit the ground running" when we closed on the purchase as we were then still going through the process of meeting with different architects, reviewing their portfolios and checking with former clients. I don't know what higher compliment I can give Stephen Wang than to say that in a process that extended almost two year from the beginning of the design phase to the day we walked into our fabulous new home, there hasn't been a day, a single day, that we haven't said how lucky, and how grateful we are that we selected Stephen as our architect. During the design process the five traits that I think stand Stephen head and shoulders above all of the other architects I met became clear. First, and probably most important, he's simply a great architect. I won't elaborate here because I think his portfolio speaks louder and more eloquently to this than I ever could. Second, he truly listens. There was so much we wanted in our apartment, from my wife's desire not to be isolated from our guests when she's in the kitchen (he put a pocket door in the wall that had separated the Living Room from the Kitchen, so now she never feels like she's missing out when we're entertaining and she's cooking) to my wanting to keep an antique French fireback that was in our old apartment but didn't fit the fireplace in our new home (he mounted it as a beautiful bas relief in the Powder Room), and he listened to what was important to us and addressed both our concerns and our desires in professional and stunning ways that never smacked of an architect merely catering to the whims of a demanding client. As an aside, before picking SWA as our architect, we were very close to going with someone else, but even in our initial meetings we could sense that he had very strong opinions of how things should look and didn't seem interested in very much input from us, and when we spoke with one of his former clients, a Fortune 100 CEO, and expressed this concern, the reply we got, "You'll find in the end, that Alan was right," sounded like someone who may have gotten a nice home, but not the one he wanted it. SWA is all about collaboration, and while it's become a cliche today when people say "the client comes first," Stephen Wang uses his genius to make your dream a reality. The third thing I found so impressive about Stephen during the design of our apartment was, to borrow the refrain from the song "Rock Island" from the musical "The Music Man", "you gotta know the territory!", and Stephen does! Stephen's knowledge of every aspect of the design process was beyond incredible. I deal with a lot of smart people in my business every day, and none of them has anything on Stephen Wang. When it came to the trades and professionals, Stephen was always the one leading the discussion because he was just so damn knowledgable, telling the HVAC consultant where the bends in the ducts should go and what angle would be most efficient, advising the acoustical consultant how to provide the best soundproofing, and directing the millwork guys how they could fit a closet in a seemingly inaccessible space. And the "knock your socks off" part of his expertise was how it extended to every choice we had to make during this adventure, from the selection of wood for the floors (and the best stains and finishes for the wood), to the best stoves (don't know any other architect who can talk at length about the pluses and minuses of dual-fuel oven vs. all gas) to the TVs for the Study (telling the AV consultant to wait to buy the TV as Samsung was coming out with a new model in a month), Stephen knew the marketplace as well as (better!) any of the experts. The fourth thing about SWA that really needs to be highlighted is Stephen's experience in the New York City design community and the broad range of contacts he has made who, I can tell from my experience, all have tremendous respect for him. When friends in other coops heard that our plans included a "wet over dry" relocation of the Powder Room, everyone said "no chance", and that was even before they learned that our coop had never before in its 85 year history approved a wet-over-dry proposal. While I think Stephen's planning and design were largely responsible for us getting this approved, I believe his long background of dealing with the building's architect was tremendously helpful; they knew that if Stephen put his name on something, that meant a lot. And in numerous other instances where the coop Board might raise a question, such as choice of windows or the compressor for the central a/c, Stephen could remind the building architect where they had previously approved the same thing on another project they had worked on together, or Stephen mentioning that he represents another building managed by the same management company and they approved the very thing we were trying to do. The fifth, and final qualification that I believe makes Stephen Wang so special is his calm and assuring (and re-assuring) manner. He never gets ruffled or excited, and views every insurmountable problem as just another challenge to be conquered. When we were told, after our plans were approved, that the building could not supply us the electricity we needed (the building is planning an electric upgrade and said that until then they were not going to supply additional electric to any individual apartment), which would have delayed the renovation for a year or two, my wife and I started to freak out, but Stephen said that we should stay calm and get the facts, and, with his help and guidance, we were able to show the building that there was sufficient electric capacity to handle our renovation and we got the approval to go forward. When my wife and I first interviewed Stephen, he said that his job was to break everything down into small discreet decisions and to give us a few options from which to chose in order to keep the process from becoming overwhelming. I don't know how he did it, but he did. Priceless.
Once the renovation began, those same five factors, plus a sixth, were in ample evidence and again made us so thankful that we had selected SWA as our architects. Stephen's unsurpassed skill as an architect became more and more visible as the renovation proceeded along week by week. His responsiveness was, I'm sure, tested as my daughter passed from cute young girl to tween and needed to completely redesign her bedroom and bathroom. His knowledge of the marketplace and what works and doesn't work became even more valuable during the renovation when we faced various surprises and unanticipated challenges, and he could address and solve these issues promptly and expertly thereby saving us from time-consuming and expensive delays. Similarly, his experience and contacts proved invaluable as he could deal with the City reviewers and inspectors as someone with whom they've had a lot of past dealings, as well as providing us with the best people for finishing the job, from landscapers for the terraces, to the window treatment people who did a magnificent job on the blinds and awnings, to the upholstery company that did the window seats and the kitchen banquette. And even more than during the design phase, Stephen's calming demeanor saved many a day. After committing to a design that placed an important doorway in a critical position, the demolition revealed an electric pipe that hadn't showed up on any plans or test borings. In response to my "the sky is falling" panic, Stephen didn't lose a beat, told my wife and me not to worry, and had everything fixed before the day was over. And when issues arose with the contractor, as I'm sure they do on every project of this size and duration, Stephen was the constant voice of reason that kept everyone not only calm, but friendly, and allowed the renovation to be completed with no real problems.
In addition to reinforcing everything positive we had seen during the planning phase, the renovation phase also revealed one additional, really important facet of Stephen Wang. His 100% commitment to the project and the client. Not only did he know the right stone yards for us to visit to pick the slabs for our marble bath and entranceway, he met us there and showed us why one slab we initially liked might not be so good, and why another slab would work (and he was so right!). But the greatest manifestation of his commitment was his attendance at every one of our weekly Site Meetings during the entire, nearly year-long renovation. His presence each week allowed him to spot and solve potential problems before they happened, and kept as calm as we knew he was literally as well as figuratively on the job, keeping an eye on everything every step of the way. Again, priceless.
While I've spoken about Stephen Wang and SWA synonymously, I'm a bit neglectful and should mention the fabulous people he has working with him, who provide powerful support and follow-up, making dealing with this firm a very positive and truly rewarding experience. To anyone looking for an architect in New York, I would recommend Stephen Wang whole-heartedly and without reservation.
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