AOL Offices

This project housed the America Online Interactive Marketing Department. The existing atrium was reconfigured to support social and promotional functions as well as staff “think tank” activities. Office space surrounds the atrium on two levels. Gently curved perforated metal walls screen the office operations from visitors yet allow staff to communicate across the space. These walls, with their ethereally reflective surface, change dramatically in varying daylight conditions. At night the artificial light plays on the exposed wood structure revealing a complex pattern of overlapping shadows on the semitransparent metal surface. A new bridge, spanning the atrium, connects the office wings. An existing spiral stair was clad in galvanized steel and serves as the focal point from the entry 200 feet away.

Credits Architect in charge of project and design – William Petrone
Project Team - Mark Gould, Coty Sidnam Eric Gartner

Ridgewood House 1

The Ridgewood House was built on the site of an existing family house in Bergen County, New Jersey. Large porches and sleeping porches, and the gracious layout of well proportioned rooms belie the projects humble roots. Physically, little of the original project remains although the spirit of the original house, it’s detailing and proportions, imbue the final design. The material palette is true to shingle style houses found in Ridgewood. Cedar shingle roof, stone foundation and chimneys, and wood clapboard mixed with board and batten gables make the home one of the most honest and faithful renditions of this historical style in Bergen County.

Architect - William Petrone
Interior Decorator - Kathleen DeParis

Harrison House

The 1.5 acre site on which this residence is located is densely wooded and enriched with rock outcroppings and dramatic changes in elevation. The house nestles into a position where the double height great room rests just beyond and facing the most prominent rock ledge. The steel structure of the great room was exposed and reaches outside the envelop of the building to stitch together the relationship between nature and the house. A sloped butterfly roof shelters the entry, master bedroom, great room and kitchen. The north wing of the house contains guest bedrooms and baths as well as the garage and service spaces. Its mass anchors the composition into the ledge and is counterbalanced by the large chimney form at the south face of the great room. The glass of the great room is stretched between these two stucco forms and frames the view of the woods and the bluff beyond.

Credits Architect in charge of project and design – William Petrone
Project Team - Mark Gould, Katy Walton

Photos - Michael Moran

Saddle River House 1

This house was the first of two houses designed for the speculative housing market in semi-rural New Jersey. The small flat building site is sandwiched between a heavily traveled road and a steep wooded bluff overlooking the Saddle River. The restrictive allowable building area required a compact envelope and protective front façade to buffer the house from road noise. To take advantage of the views of the river and the hills beyond, the entire rear façade is composed of operable windows and glass doors. Discrete volumes containing the service spaces frame diagonal views through the house. Living spaces occupy the free space between these volumes. Horizontal and vertical shafts of light lace the levels of the house together.

Architect in Charge - William Petrone
Design - William Petrone
Project Team - William Petrone, Coty Sidnam, Eric Gartner

Sun Valley House

The Sun Valley House is located in a housing development with views of the surrounding mountains. The house is sited to frame the major views and to obscure views of the neighboring condominium development and houses. A large fir clad “tube” is supported by a concrete “seat”. Living spaces are located on the top floor and are connected to the lower floors through a three-story stair well. The design strives to mimic the experience of living in the unique topography of Sun Valley with subtle elevation changes separating discrete functions and the open ends of the tube representing the open ends of the valley. Major exterior living spaces are under cover thereby extending their seasonal use.

Architect in Charge of Design - William Petrone
Architect in Charge - Coty Sidnam
Project Team - William Petrone, Sandra Arangquren-Langston, Coty Sidnam

Images provided Various .

Ridgewood House 2

The Highland Avenue House is located in Ridgewood NJ. The clients felt that additions built in the 70s had destroyed the integrity of the house and while they appreciate eclectic interiors they wanted the new additions to restore the spirit of the original architecture. With the placement of dormers, reconfigured roofs and strategically placed additions the final designcaptures the spirit of the original architecture but provides more expansive and light filled interiors than tudors normally offer.

Architect - William Petrone
Interior Desginer - Michael Maher

Pound Ridge House

The Pound Ridge House was built near a large pond on a twelve-acre plot in northeastern Westchester County. The project is a large addition to a very small house built in the 70s. The client grew up in the original house and wanted to maintain the original form and some of the interior spaces. The house was developed as a series of bridges and cantilevered spaces so that the project would touch lightly on the land. This created framed views of the pond and woods through and around the structure. The material palette is simple, low maintenance and allows the house to settle quietly into the landscape.

Architect - William Petrone

Images provided by William Petrone

Flatiron Loft

This 3000 square foot loft renovation is located in New York’s Flatiron district. The clients presented us with the problem of creating an open “loft like” space that would take advantage of the natural light that is afforded on all the exposures of the floor while supporting a program that required a more traditional delineation of rooms. We divided the space longitudinally with a 12 inch thick translucent wall behind which are located the bedrooms on a raised platform. The placement of the wall allowed us to take advantage of the existing column structure to separate the living functions in discrete areas. Contained in the translucent wall is cabinetry designed to support various living functions. Existing skylight shafts were reopened and an existing stair to the future roof garden was reclaimed.

Architect - William Petrone
Project Team - William Petrone, Rachael Saletel

Mantoloking House

The Mantoloking House occupies a wide ocean front lot in Mantoloking NJ. The complex program supports the clients need for hosting large family gatherings. The ground floor contains support spaces. The first floor houses the public rooms, which open onto the dunes, the pool, pool house, and lawn. The second floor has a large number of bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, porches and balconies and the third floor has additional bedrooms and a large dormitory with a widows peak view of the ocean. The house serves as a family hotel. We varied the size and locations of the rooms throughout to provide social rooms as well as spaces where one can seek privacy.

Architect - William Petrone

Interior Desginer - Michael Maher

Upper Saddle River

This house is located on a one acre site in Northern New Jersey. Although the footprint of the original house was not enlarged the new design has completely transformed the house’s interior and exterior. Rooms of varied volumes and proportions now directly connect with the tree filled property with terraces, decks and balconies. The Master suite is cantilevered beyond the face of the existing envelope giving the sense of sleeping in the trees. The two story living room is overlooked by a small library and the three story foyer creates a light filled shaft that connects all the interior spaces.

Architect in Charge – William Petrone

Greenwich Village Townhouse

This project is a historic townhouse that was fully restructured and re-oriented toward a renovated back garden and addition. The space formed by the masonry envelope extends from front to back and contains objects that define the edges of the living spaces. The interiors of the objects support bathroom and storage functions. The south longitudinal wall is finished in plaster. The north wall is filled with cabinetry on all floors. These walls connect the spaces front to back. Shafts of light and the textured interiors of bathrooms and stairs connect the townhouse vertically.

Architect in Charge of Design - William Petrone
Architect in Charge - Coty Sidnam
Project Team - William Petrone, Coty Sidnam

Astoria Townhouse

When purchased this Astoria townhouse was a chaotic arrangement of small rooms. Non-structural interior walls were removed to form the new loft like plan that now supports the clients lifestyle. The second floor is open from street to rear garden affording ample light and air to the Entry, Office, Living Room, Dining Room and Kitchen. Bedrooms, bathrooms and a small TV Room and second Office occupy the first floor. The rear garden was renovated as well with the inclusion of an arbor, built in seating, paved walkways and planting beds.

Architect - William Petrone

Jr Golf Center

The Junior Golf Center, located in New York City’s Dyker Beach Park next to the Dyker Beach public golf course in Bay Ridge Brooklyn. The CityParks Junior Golf Center is a new, state-of-the-art facility that offers free golf instruction to New York City children between the ages of 7-17. The Facility includes a 6-hole golf course, practice putting and chipping greens, covered driving range and clubhouse with classroom space. Located at the hub of the facility, between the practice greens and the 6 hole course is the Clubhouse. The undulating roof was conceived to address the varying occupancies inside the clubhouse and provide large porches, driving range and covered parent waiting areas. Stationary metal screens provide sun-shading and rolling screens serve to secure the building overnight and in the offseason. The classroom and reception spaces have views of the Jr Golf Center facilities and the public course to the west.

Architect - William Petrone

Glen Rock 1

The Glen Rock House is a complete renovation of an existing house that includes extensive additions and a complete restructuring of the existing plans and facades. The house is rendered in traditional materials and the historic feel belies the modern building systems used to create an energy efficient and technologically advanced house. The program included adding to the existing house, a new Master Bedroom Suite, Family Room, Eat In Kitchen, Enlarged and finished Basement with Wine Cellar, Exercise Room and Video Room.

Architect - William Petrone

Ridegewood House 3

The Upper Blvd House is located in Ridgewood NJ on a sloping site that faces expansive views to the east and the skyline of Manhattan. The original house was built in the 1920s as a summer retreat. Over the years many small, unsympathetic additions were built that obscured the views of the city and destroyed the connection to the site. We developed an “L” shaped plan that embraces the view and reconnects the house to the terraces of the sloping property. From the street the openness of the rear is belied by the rigorous stately street facade. By detaching the garage and creating large framed views of the city at the rear the house recaptures what was the original allure of the site.

Architect - William Petrone

Southampton House

The Southampton House was in ruin after Superstorm Sandy. The ground floor was enlarged and the floor plan rearranged to improve the houses connection to the pool and lawns. The second floor plan has been completely rearranged so that all rooms now have views of the sound and tidal marsh lands surrounding the site and access to decks and terraces overlooking the tennis court and pool.

Architect - William Petrone
Interior Decorator - Kathleen DeParis

HoHoKus Addition

The HoHoKus Addition houses a new master bedroom suite. The open plan sleeping area, bathroom and large dressing closet supports the clients desire for space filled with natural light and natural materials. The exterior of the additions are clad in granite. The interior is distinguished by the Irish Marble used in the bath area but also visible from the entire suite. The dressing room is crafted with black walnut and birds-eye maple. Wide plank black walnut flooring enhances the warmth of the hallways, closet and bedroom.

Architect - William Petrone

Small Projects

No Project is too small for WPA. We bring the same commitment to small scale projects as we bring to our larger scale works. As our client you can expect both our unwavering attention to detail, and a sensitivity to your needs.

Architect - William Petrone

Project Team - Eugene Kim