MAN ON THE MOVE
Colombian-born Andres Escobar is busy making NYC his own
HIGH-profile interior designer Andres Escobar (inset) is constantly on the go. The curly-haired Colombian, who calls Montreal and NYC home, shuttles between Gotham sites because he has a whopping 15 projects underway here. They include the interiors at both The Nevins condo ( TheNevinsBrooklyn.com) in Boerum Hill and Hoboken’s 1400 Hudson condos (below; 1400Hudson.com).
We nabbed Escobar in the midst of his hectic schedule to discuss his favorite things. The museum that’s impacted me most is the Guggenheim in NYC ( Guggenheim.org). I love the architecture — it’s like a seashell. Frank Lloyd Wright, the Guggenheim’s architect who I admire, believed in designing structures in harmony with humanity and the environment, a philosophy he called “organic architecture.” Montreal is filled with groundbreaking architecture. One structure, Habitat 67, was architect Moshe Safdie’s thesis project at McGill University, which was chosen to be built for [Canadian centen- nial] Expo 67. Mies van der Rohe designed Westmount Square — a property made of black anodized aluminum and smoked glass, which give it a beautiful simplicity.
Every functioning city tries to reinvent itself, including my hometown Medellin, Colombia. It was named the 2016 Lee Kuan Yew laureate for overcoming its history of violence and heading into a positive future. Medellin is a changed city with cable-car transit systems and works of art by Fernando Botero, including his 23 bronze sculptures in Plaza Botero.
My first New York project was The Gretsch, a condo conversion in Williamsburg. It was an important and challenging project for me, which required incorporating a modernist aesthetic into a century-old structure. It was a success; the building attracted celebrities, like actor Josh Hartnett.
B&B Italia, a high-end Italian label, is a fantastic source for furniture ( BeBItalia.com). Its pieces span a variety of styles
and sit well in any space. Designer Antonio Citterio’s Maxalto collection stands out for its dark-wood touches and clean lines.
If you’re considering a home renovation, you have great resources for inspiration. Flip the pages of Interior Design ( Interi
orDesign.net) and Architectural Digest ( Architectur
alDigest.com). Sometimes people fall in love with features — like a fireplace or wall paneling. Then, hire a designer who can navigate your interests and give you what you have in mind. Most people know what they want; they just don’t know how to put it together.