SPAN Architecture

SPAN Architecture brings together a diverse array of experiences and interests as practitioners, teachers, artists and theorists. Karen Stonely and Peter Pelsinski are registered architects and began collaboration in 1998. Their award-winning work combines thoughtful and inventive conceptual design with technological innovation and creative material application. Above all else, SPAN shares a deep appreciation and reverence for architecture that guides their pursuit of creating superlative work. Architectural Projects In recent years, SPAN has continued to work on a broad range of project types, from residential to commercial, from development to high-end retail and custom furniture. Of note, SPAN completed The Core Club, featured in and on the cover of Interior Design November 2007, a 30,000 SF private club composed of a 60-seat screening room, a gym, a library, and the Spa which includes wellness areas, steam rooms and saunas, manicure/pedicure facilities, a salon and a barber, and an 8,500 square foot restaurant with outdoor terrace. The project received a 2008 AIA Citation for Design. Other built commercial work includes the dental suite for GoSmile Aesthetics, featured in Interior Design, Business Week, and SPA-DE among others, Keyspan Energy’s advanced nationwide teleconferencing rooms which won a 2005 AIA Award for Architectural Excellence, and Baron & Baron’s 12,000 square foot new New York office. SPAN is the Interior Architect for the new 54 story, 500 key Hyatt Times Square which will also include a Spa and Sky Lounge - Restaurant. SPAN is currently designing retail store concepts for Calvin Klein Collection throughout Asia as well as Pringle of Scotland stores in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and London. We are currently designing a 2-acre, 21st century interpretation of a historic bazaar market located at the center of the Las Vegas strip for Bally’s. Complementing our commercial work, recent residential work for both private clients and developers includes new houses, condominium and townhouse developments, and interior architecture and design. Of note, we are completing work for the Gotham Development Corporation on a citywide block, four building complex which includes residential interiors and 35,000 square feet of amenity spaces and adjacent gardens. We are also the interior architects for Rockrose Development Corporation for a 1000 unit, 50-story high-rise residential development located in the burgeoning LIC district of Queens. We are also beginning work for on a new 660 unit residential development with 25,000 square feet of amenity and exterior space located adjacent to and for the Brooklyn Academy of Music. In addition to development work, SPAN has worked on private residences for Calvin Klein and Ian Schrager. The Sullens Residence and the Westport Residence and Pool House are both featured in Architectural Digest, in the October 2007 issue and on the August 2012 cover respectively. The Architect’s Newspaper featured the studio’s diverse array of built work in August 2007 and the studio is participating in the OHNY NYCxDesign 2013, a new city wide initiative to showcase the important role that architecture and design plays in New York . Speculative/Academic Endeavors In addition to the office’s built work, SPAN continues to work on speculative development projects and pursue competitions. SPAN coordinated a traveling studio focused on issues of reconstruction between the New Jersey School of Architecture and the schools of Architecture at Poznan and Warsaw Universities, comparing the building site of the WTC with post-war sites in Berlin, Warsaw and Poznan. SPAN participates on numerous panels, including “One Platform, One Solution” discussing the nature of technology in design and production, and we sat on the jury for the 2008 and 2009 Designing Brooklyn awards as well as for the AIA DC Un-built Projects Awards. SPAN has lectured at the NJIT School of Architecture (“Creative Generalism”), and was selected as one of five national firms to participate in the Friends of Hudson Square Design Charrette Workshop & Exhibition. SPAN chairs the Friends Committee for the Design Trust for Public Space and is on the Development Committee for the Architectural League of NY. Firm The studio of 14 is composed of 2 Principals, a Studio Director, an Associate, Project Managers/Draftsman, 2 Interior Designers and support staff members. Teams are tailored to the size, complexity and specialty of each project. The office is a cross-platform environment utilizing Mac OS workstations. Facing the harbor and located in the heart of Manhattan’s financial district, SPAN built out its current office space in September of 2006.