Open Loft

New York, USA

Photo © Arch Photo/Eduard Hueber

Architects: Marble Fairbanks

Location: New York, USA
Year: 2000

The site for the project is on the top floor of an industrial loft building in Soho with eastern exposure and roof rights for a new deck and skylights. The client was a photographer who was interested in actively using light as an architecture element to abstractly define space. The design took full advantage of the top floor location by using custom skylights in the middle and rear of the loft to modulate natural light to create varying perceptions of depth. In both locations, the skylights are designed to allow light to enter both directly through a single layer of clear glass and indirectly through an additional layer of etched glass accentuating the varying qualities of light. Shading devices can also be used to more directly control lighting conditions. A new bedroom mezzanine was added in the back half of the loft which can be either opened or closed to the adjacent living / dining space with sliding etched glass panels. A new roof deck is accessed from the mezzanine extending the living spaces outside with expansive views of the city.