clear the logs Waxman Residence Townhouse Rooftop Addition Responding to the Waxman's request for a covered seating area atop a Manhattan townhouse, Ghiora Aharoni Design Studio created a sculptural presence on the roof while accommodating practical concerns.  Inspired by the Jantar Mantar -- monumental astronomical observatories built in eighteenth-century Delhi and Jaipur that marry the intimate experience of observation to monumental sculptural forms -- the Waxman Residence addition’s ample structure provides shade and coverage against the rain.  Beneath the structure, there is a deck for seating as well as an adjacent raised area planted with ornamental grass that masks the edges of the building and creates the illusion of an infinite space. Two key elements influenced the design of the structure’s abstract form:  the sun’s movements, which informed the rooftop “wrap” that afforded a shaded outdoor space with a northern exposure, and the stunning rooftop views of three landmark buildings.  Ghiora Aharoni decided to engage the structure in a dialogue with the cityscape by opening slots in the direction of the three landmarks: the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building, and the New York Life Insurance Company building.  Incorporating the Manhattan skyline into the overall design, the openings also break down the mass of the canopy which is constructed of clear cedar planks on its interior and of riveted steel sheets over a steel frame on its exterior.