He flew in artisans skilled in traditional, high-specialized Japanese building techniques such as the application of a lime-based plaster called shikkui, which is applied to walls horizontally by multiple craftsmen in simultaneous coordination.
“Everything has a meaning that’s in the apartment,” said Noel Berk, one of the listing agents. “It’s a piece of art to live in.”
The wood flooring in the condo’s master bedroom is hand-carved, the kitchen cabinets are made from hand-hammered metal, and the apartment is compartmentalized by floating walls allowing for the movement of the pendulum-laden tower.
Beyond materials and construction, Sugimoto designed the five-bedroom apartment to open into entertaining areas first, a traditional tearoom, then a large dining room, which includes a sushi bar that was manned by a chef Sugimoto personally selected for his clients, according to a profile by Architectural Record.