A $2 million renovation can have beautiful millwork, rare stone, custom cabinetry, and still feel strangely dark. I have seen this happen in Manhattan apartments and Brooklyn townhouses more often than you might expect. The problem is rarely the budget. It is usually that light was treated as a finishing touch instead of as part of the architecture: a living system that shapes how your home feels, functions, and helps you recharge. In New York City, deep apartment floor plate

For a long time in New York City multifamily development, the playbook was straightforward: more is more. If the building down the block debuted a rooftop infinity pool or a 5,000-square-foot fitness center with a juice bar, the immediate impulse was to out-amenitize them. We spent years locked in an amenity war, chasing flashy, Instagrammable common spaces designed to hook prospective tenants during a twenty-minute leasing tour. I've written about why that arms race is over

When you embark on a gut renovation of a Manhattan or Brooklyn townhouse, you aren't just moving walls or updating finishes. You are essentially performing surgery on a living organism. For families with young children, this process is an incredible opportunity to bake wellness into the very DNA of the home. In my years as an architect in New York, I’ve seen how easy it is to get lost in the aesthetics of a nursery or a playroom while overlooking what lies beneath the surface

When I first started my architecture practice in New York City, I quickly realized that for families, a renovation isn't just about moving walls or updating a kitchen. It’s about creating a safe harbor. If you're at the very beginning of that journey, my Start Here page can help you get oriented. As a parent myself, I know that "nesting" in NYC often involves a complicated dance between historic charm and modern health concerns. We live in a city where 90% of our time is spen

Living in New York City is an exercise in managing chaos. We navigate the subway, the noise, and the frenetic energy of the streets, all while seeking a sense of sanctuary within our own four walls. But have you ever stopped to consider if your home is truly the healthy retreat you deserve? At Tong Dong Architects, I often tell my clients that a home should function like a living organism. It needs to "breathe" just as we do. Unfortunately, many of the most beautiful pre-war

Living in New York City, we often think of "pollution" as something that happens outside: on the BQE, in the subway tunnels, or amidst the bustling streets of Midtown. But as an architect who spends my days thinking about how families inhabit their spaces, I’ve found that the air inside our homes is often where the real challenge lies. In fact, the EPA reports that indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. For NYC families, our homes are our sanctuar

Living in New York City is an exhilarating experience, but as any New Yorker knows, the "city that never sleeps" often comes with a side of soot, noise, and less-than-ideal air. When you step inside your apartment, you should feel an immediate sense of relief, a transition into a personal sanctuary where you can truly breathe. I’ve often told my clients at Tong Dong Architects that a home should function like a living organism. Just as we need clean oxygen to flourish, your h