But one rock climbing devotee in Turkey wanted something closer to his home, so he had American company Rockwerx, based in Baltimore and Massachusetts, build for him a private rock wall that required removing the roof and raising its height.

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But the structure floats on a one-story wall of glass and the high interior space is beautifully shaped by a small forest of cone lamps descending from the roof to just above table height.

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The skylights covering the roof provide interior lighting, as well as additional height inside and out.

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Ms. Abernathy noted that aside from the unexpected height of the storm surge, Christie's was well prepared for Sandy, with generators on the roof that kept the security systems and climate controls up and running through the storm.

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