Furnishing a Penthouse in a Platinum LEED Certified building

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is redefining the way we think about the places where we live, work and learn. As an internationally recognized mark of excellence, LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.

With nearly 9 billion square feet of building space participating in the suite of rating systems and 1.6 million feet certifying per day around the world, LEED is transforming the way built environments are designed, constructed, and operated – from individual buildings and homes, to entire neighborhoods and communities. Comprehensive and flexible, LEED works throughout a building's life cycle.

LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building, home or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. Detail of semicircular buffet consoles clad in antique bamboo veneer by Sinotique collaborating with Robert Shapiro Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 2000, the LEED rating systems are developed through an open, consensus-based process led by LEED committees. The next update of the LEED rating system, coined LEED 2012, is the next step in the continuous improvement process and ongoing development cycle of LEED. – U.S. Green Building Council. All material selections and construction techniques are documented. Energy performance is tested to represent a consensus standard by third party experts. Also, the system provides a comprehensive evaluation of the building process from design phases through homeowner possession using consistent grading scale regardless of location. By recognizing sustainable design, construction and operations, LEED helps homebuilders differentiate their homes using a recognized national brand. Buyers can readily identify quality green homes by selecting LEED. – Blueberry Lane

I was contacted by Fred Rich who discovered my work on www.1stdibs.com. I was pleased to learn that my choice of material for several of my furniture designs, antique bamboo, was particularly appealing to Mr. Rich. He sits on the Board of the Visionaire, a newly constructed building in Manhattan's Financial District, the City's first LEED platinum certified residential tower in New York.

Fred Rich explains his choice to use Sinotique to furnish his apartment, which overlooks New York Harbor and the Statue of Liberty: "I bought an apartment in the City's first LEED 'Platinum' residential building, and wanted to furnish it in the same spirit as the building, showing that 'green' and good design are not mutually exclusive. I found Jan through 1stdibs.com, and was immediately interested in his use of recycled Chinese sleeping mats. Not only is the material recycled, but bamboo is a very sustainable wood, and thus a major theme of both the building and the apartment. After visiting 70John, I realized that Jan combined this unique recycled material with a high degree of craftsmanship and ambitious design. I first bought a console table, already made, from the floor at 70John. When it became clear that we needed a custom round table and semi-circular sideboards, together with some occassional tables, I decided to commission these from Jan, again using the bamboo mats are a major element. He worked closely with my architect, David McAlpin, on the design.

Since the apartment has glass walls overlooking the harbor, I decided to incorporate glass pieces into both the furniture and decoration. Jan's collaborator, Kanik Chung, was able to implement in a ceiling fixture my idea of recreating the spirit of watching, from underwater looking up, the pattern or rain drops on the surface of a pond.

He did other pieces suggesting movement, capturing the dynamism of air bubbles frozen in clear glass. It was a seamless and, ultimately very successful, collaboration." - Fred Rich, The Visionaire

Fred Rich's terrace garden in the Visionaire

Rich enjoying a winter day in his garden in the sky. (photo NY Times)

Three walnut side tables cut from the same slab

Unusual apartment shape led to architect David McAlpin's design calling for two semicircular buffet consoles clad in antique bamboo by Sinotique

The dining table made by Jan Lee features handcut antique bamboo

It's always a pleasure to work with clients who are completely engaged in their project yet understand the creative process and are able to trust artists and furniture makers to complete their vision. When presented with such an extraordinary space as Mr. Rich's, I felt that my furniture had to reflect the same spirit of combining beauty, quality and sustainabilty into one concept. I believe we did that succcessfully with this project thanks to the vision of Fred Rich, the expertise of David McAlpin and the wonderful collaborations with my great friends Kanik Chung and Robert Shapiro.