How They Did It: Shangri-Ll

La Scala told us that, quote: “The objective for this stunning condo in the clouds can be defined by our unique motto, ‘The goal of technology should be a mind completely free of it.’ If it was beautiful, it was to be shown. If it was functional and not in use, we were to try and make it ‘disappear’.”

The systems in this project include:

This renovation also demanded new electrical wiring. Working with the electrician, La Scala developed a full Crestron control system for the lighting. Motorized shading was also included.

There are six separate zones of heating and cooling in this home, all controlled by Crestron systems, and security keeps tabs on the property when the owners are away.

La Scala was also attentive to the need for proper shades here: “When you live five hundred feet up in the sky facing due southwest you can encounter problems, but we would argue that sunsets are a good problem to have. With that sun exposure all day, everyday, comes the need to treat it properly.”

To avoid any gaps in the shading, the firm determined the widest possible shades they could bring to the 53rd floor of the building by calculating everything from the dimensions of the elevator to the turn radius in the stairwell.

The programming that went into the Crestron control system here is exceptional, and it’s a big reason why the CEDIA judges gave La Scala a winner’s trophy for Best Integrated Home, Level I (Americas). This project also won the CEDIA award for “Technology Meets Design.”