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Kushner started with a simple idea: Incorporate the elements of earth, fire, air, and water—literally—into the apartment. He wanted to emphasize the transition from the tough urban environment to his more natural retreat. “There’s stone at the entrance and the visual exit, the windows, so you are wrapped in urban materiality,” he says. The entry floor is subway tile, and Kushner bought the door itself from the MTA depot at 215th Street for under $100 (he tried in vain to buy a whole car). To the right of the door is a toilet-shower room. The floor—earth—is built out of the three-inch pine beams that once held up the roof. For the Jacuzzi, Kushner bought Home Depot’s cheapest fiberglass tub ($450), then cut and resealed it into the shape he wanted. The Mexican beach stones are set into concrete. The stairs lead to the bedroom.