250 E Houston (formerly known as The Red Square) is an architectural landmark most famous for the Tibor Kalman designed rooftop clocks, visible from all parts of the neighborhood. Looking to update the lobby and lounge of this 130 apartment multi-family building in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York, Bromley Caldari Architects turned to AKDO.

“We were excited to use such a large 24” x 48” porcelain tile in this new, expanded space. The large tile made the lobby and lounge feel even more spacious. WIDE’s color choices fit in our refreshed industrial palette, and we eventually selected the lead color. We also liked that the tile had a very slight texture, which would help to conceal dust and dirt,” stated Sarah Conant from Bromley Caldari.

Bromley Caldari Architects

Looking to add an additional element to the design and lead traffic from the lobby in the direction of the lounge space, they decided to install the large format porcelain on a diagonal. “We also needed to match certain existing finish floor levels and the thin dimension of the porcelain tile achieved this and still gave us a sharp-looking concrete look,” Sarah stated.

The durability of the WIDE porcelain tiles was the perfect option for these high traffic areas while also creating a modern aesthetic. The simple, cohesive, and large tiles among the minimal grout lines created a streamlined look that concealed the high traffic component. “The building owner and the residents using the space have been very receptive,” Sarah stated.