Harbor View Condo

The Brief

A single professional needed a compact home with a dedicated music studio. The constraint: the building was a converted industrial space with concrete walls, exposed ductwork, and no natural light on three sides.

The Study

We measured the existing light — a single north-facing window provided consistent but dim illumination. We also studied acoustic requirements: the client records both acoustic instruments and electronic music, requiring both absorption and diffusion.

The Response

We carved a light well through the center of the unit, drawing daylight from the roof deep into the plan. The music studio is a room-within-a-room — a timber box floating inside the concrete shell, acoustically isolated but visually connected via the light well.

The Result

Under construction. The client reports that the light well mockup — built from cardboard and tape in the unfinished space — made them cry. “I didn’t know this much light was possible here.”