I’ve always been amazed that for how popular lofts are that there hasn’t been a more rigorous investigation into what lofts are. at least here in LA, developers were happy to crank out boxy, double high spaces with wire guardrails and call it a day. my impression was these faux-lofts weren’t nearly as marketable as the more authentic, repurposed variety.
there are two other elements of lofts that work incredibly well with the qualities that developers seemed to identify to create extremely compelling as residential spaces. one is the unbelievable suppleness of the materials- the rich textures of brick, the aromas of unfinished wood, and the sensuous smoothness of waxed concrete. with these materials, a true loft space affects all of your senses in a richer, more palpable way than the gyp board and carpet of faux-lofts.
but another aspect of the loft that is inherently missed with a developer-fabricated space is the sense of history that comes with repurposing a space. I worked for a cinematographer in the bowery who had this amazing ancient elevator that was the primary access for his third floor loft. watching the floor slabs pass by through a flimsy metal gate, you were very well aware that the spartan design was not intended for residential use. while a typical house can feel old, there is something about an architectural feature that was clearly built for another purpose that forces an acknowledgement of its history.
though it may not have been their intention, I think that the painters workshop by A31 is fairly successful at manufacturing a space that feels similar to a repurposed one. the tall ceilings, semi-classical form, heavy window mullions, and the exposed concrete floor slabs all contribute successfully to an industrial feel, but it’s the board-formed concrete that really seems to resonate. of all architectural materials, there are very few that feel as handmade as board-formed concrete. the rough imprints of the boards might not be “old” themselves, but they create a connection to the process of building in a way that more historic buildings do.
by highlighting the handcrafted nature of their work, A31 has successfully created a new space that has the similar quality of a repurposed, older one. the supple material choices and architectural decisions certainly help create the feel of a repurposed loft, but it’s the anachronistic reminder that buildings are hand crafted objects that make this space resonate in a way that other fabricated lofts cannot.
