ACHA’s client purchased this penthouse apartment overlooking the Hudson River as a speculative investment, providing the previous owner with the means to continue living in the apartment for her lifetime. At the core of the design are the river views, delineated as both an expansive horizon and in framed views. The relation between the interior and exterior is also seen in the small private gardens that are annexed to each bedroom, as well as a skyward looking window gilded in gold leaf to capture and diffuse the sunlight into the more remote areas of the apartment. The exterior staircase seen through the apartment windows invites the family to the rooftop terrace above the penthouse, engaging them with its garden views of the river.