Raffaella Bortoluzzi combines modern design with art and flea market furniture to transform her Little Italy artist's studio into a modern loft for one.
“The original feeling of a room should remain—it’s necessary. So, when I design, I first try to feel the space.”
New York City is constantly on the move. From all corners of the world, people are pouring into the city and living their personal American dream. When, at the turn of the century, an early wave of immigrants arrived, they first formed communities and later whole neighborhoods. Two of the most famous are Little Italy and Chinatown. Ironically, today they blend together fluidly, and it is difficult to say where the one starts and the one another ends.
THIS MULTICULTURAL ENVIRONMENT was chosen by a modern Italian immigrant as their home: Raffaella Bortoluzzi, architect and founder of Labo Design Studio, has lived in New York City for 22 years. She came to the city after completing her architectural studies in Venice, finishing her Master's Degree at Columbia University—and stayed. “When I found this loft, it was just an open, white artist's studio, still very naked and with industrial flair,” explains Bortoluzzi. “The challenge was to make the workspace into an apartment.”
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“Frau Allein” by Kurt G. Staplefeldt & Judith Jenner appeared in H.O.M.E Magazine (Deutsch). Photography by Giorgio Possenti.