Architect Eddie Jones' clients for this Phoenix condominium remodel possess a sophisticated background. The husband, Jim Rapp, retired as associate dean of Arizona State University's architecture school, and his wife, JoAnne, once owned a well-known local art gallery. Jones presented them with an equally refined design: a cleaned-up, minimalist renovation that completely transformed their once-dark unit. He made over every surface, replacing carpeting with bamboo, standard doors with sand-blasted glass panels, and wallpaper with pure white paint. The translucent glass draws light deep into every room, a top priority in an interior renovation with a predetermined number of windows.
In addition to steering clear of the fenestration, Jones also left the existing electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and structural systems alone. By simply shifting and enlarging room openings, removing non-structural walls, and merging the old, dark hallways into one circulation space, he effectively de-cluttered the apartment. The judges deemed it a daring remodel, especially considering the elaborate public spaces of the grand 1950s high-rise building. “To come in here and do this project takes courage,” said one. Jones agrees on the startling contrast between this project's stripped-down rigor and the rest of the structure. “It's like Alice going through the looking glass,” he says of entering the renovated condo.
Entrant/Architect: Jones Studio, Phoenix
Builder: The Construction Zone, Phoenix
Living space: 2,200 square feet
Construction cost: Withheld
Photographer: Bill Timmerman
Resources: Bathroom plumbing fittings: Dornbracht; Bathroom plumbing fixtures: Duravit; Bathroom/kitchen cabinets: ArtCraft; Garbage disposer: In-Sink-Erator; Hardware: Valli & Valli, Circle 204; Interior doors: Aztec Doors; Kitchen plumbing fittings: Hansgrohe; Bathroom plumbing fixtures: Franke; Lighting fixtures: Capri; Oven: Wolf; Paints: Benjamin Moore; Refrigerator: Sub-Zero.
