Massimiliano Malagò's ceramic tile chairs integrate storage for a New York apartment

Architect Massimiliano Malagò has completed 'On the Calculation of Volume – Mania New Yorkea or living and dying in the city,' a renovation of a Greenpoint, New York apartment for client Kathleen Pongrace, formerly director of marketing for the Strand Bookstore. The project translates literary narratives by Solvej Balle and Simone de Beauvoir into furniture that combines ceramic tile, plywood, aluminum, and bio-synthetic foam. Chairs feature ceramic bases referencing New York's glazed terra-cotta facades and subway tiles, with softened, droplet-like geometries. Foam seating is designed to deteriorate over time, contrasting permanence and decay. Storage is integrated via concealed compartments, metal brackets, and slide-in pockets. One chair includes cavities for flowers and openings for the client's cat. The design responds to the spatial pressures of urban living, including rising housing costs and limited space.