
A former stable and garage in New York City’s Meatpacking District was reimagined into RH New York, a project that blurs the lines between residential, retail, and hospitality across six levels and more than 90,000 square feet. Retail showrooms are combined with a five-level atrium, multiple terraces, a café, and a rooftop restaurant.
Los Angeles–based Sean O’Connor Lighting took an unconventional retail design approach, using fewer light sources while leveraging decorative lighting merchandise to create a sense of home within this massive space. Outside, LED uplighting animates the historic masonry façade as well as components of the addition and architectural elements on the terraces. A centralized dimming system controls both the interior and exterior lighting, cultivating grandeur and warmth while maintaining a residential vibe. The lighting solution creates a cohesive composition where guests are enticed to interact with the unique spaces from afar or within.
Juror Quote
“It feels rich and textured, like a magical theater set, and that’s not a bad thing.” —Dave McCarroll, AIA, partner and CEO, KGM Architectural Lighting








Details
Project Name: RH New York, New York
Client/Owner: RH
Architect: Backen & Gillam Architects, Sausalito, Calif. • Jim Gillam, AIA, Geoffrey Garcia
Architect of Record: Wormser + Associates Architects, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Lighting Designer: Sean O'Connor Lighting, Los Angeles • Sean O'Connor, Michael Lombardi, Duncan Johns, Rebecca Vasak
Photographer: Courtesy RH
Project Size: 90,000 square feet
Project Cost: $50 million
Lighting Cost: $1.2 million
Watts per Square Foot: 2.1
Code Compliance: 2008 New York City Energy Conservation Code
Manufacturers: Bega, B-K Lighting, Erco, SPJ Lighting, Acuity Brands Lighting/Winona Lighting, ConTech Lighting, Hunza, Acuity Brands Lighting/Hydrel, Linea Light Group, Lucifer Lighting, Lumenpulse, Spot on Lighting, LF Illumination, LumenWerx, Prudential Lighting, Topaz