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New York has its modern tower blocks galore and even a handful of townhouses but the most exciting and desirable residential space is the loft. In a city where most people are cramped in tiny living spaces, the loft is a dream. Beside the romantic design features such as exposed brick and beams, lofts offer residents what most New Yorkers only dream of – lots of living space, open floor plan and oversized windows that make the place extremely bright and sunny.
So, what sets a loft apart from other tenements? Essentially a loft is a former industrial building, such as a warehouse, factory or department store converted into a block of residential apartments. While this might not sound appealing, in New York it was turned into an art form and a trend that quickly spread to the rest of the world.
Initially the haunts of artists today lofts attract all sorts of residents. The rich heritage of the building, the modern non-conformist architectural style and above all features that are rare to come by in a city like new York if you are on a budget, such as plenty of space, huge windows opening to lovely views and bringing in lots of light are the advantages that tenants find appealing.
The loft was invented in New York back in the 1940s when the heavily industrialised city started losing its industrial makeup. Empty warehouses and abandoned factories caught the eye of poor artists and creatives who converted the buildings into living spaces. By the 1980s lofts have become so widespread that living in them was legalised. The trend even started spreading to other parts of America, Europe and Asia, so much so that today developers are buying old industrial buildings for the sole purpose of remodelling them into modern apartment blocks. Some even go as far as to build new tenements that resemble lofts. Newly built residential blocks with loft features are called soft lofts, while repurposed industrial buildings such as factories, warehouses, department stores and even schools are called hard lofts.
The true loft is indeed a former industrial building converted into residential space. Lofts retain many architectural and design features characteristic of the original building. Bare pipes, wires, beams and columns, exposed brick, steel, iron and wood all speak of the building’s past and offer interesting design touches. Yet, all lofts are modernised, comfortable living spaces outfitted with a number of conveniences and comfy furniture. Ample space provided by an open plan living area, high ceilings, huge windows that allow plenty of light to stream inside – these are the most attractive features of the loft.
Part of the charm of a loft is the rich heritage of the building. Soho, the neighbourhood where lofts were born, boasts one of the largest collections of cast-iron buildings in New York. Local factories and warehouses were built in the late 19th century employing a technique for casting iron that resulted in beautifully ornamented and elegant facades. Today those buildings have been converted into lofts and preserved within the Soho Cast Iron District. In a similar fashion Tribeca, which was a centre for cotton manufacturing, saw the abandonment of many historic buildings and their subsequent conversion into lofts by the waves of artists who moved in. Today both neighbourhoods rank high among New York’s most fashionable and desirable areas, attracting celebrities and well-heeled residents, luring in with rich nightlife, shopping and dining options, and above all attractive, modern lofts inside beautiful cast-iron buildings.
Would you like to live like a New Yorker? Renting a loft is no longer the privilege of aspiring artists and their families, neither will you have to renovate your living space on your own. Today’s lofts have been remodelled by renowned designers and architects. Residents enjoy beautiful, one-of-a-kind interiors complemented by modern conveniences plus the traditional features that make the loft so appealing – lots of space, open plan living area and plenty of light. You can experience life in historic surroundings within elegant period buildings and at a stone’s throw away from the city’s most vibrant and fashionable places complete with trendy venues.