Recycling : Urban Archaeology style

Now where can we fit this gate?

New plans

Attached are the revised plans based on our conversation over the weekend. We can discuss ceiling heights on Friday. Looking good!

-Sergio

Nema Workshop

Bond Street Loft

What I like about these renovations (but not the furniture/furnishings!) from Nema Workshop.


- Neutral palette of grey, concrete and wood
- It doesnt conform to a particular style nor decade. It will age well.
- Good use of decorative columns

Tribeca Loft

- Designing the kitchen cabinets to blend in as a wall.
- The contrast of the (oak?) surface with the other white surfaces
- The cut-out rectangle outlined in white.

http://trendland.net/2010/10/16/nema-workshop-architecture/

Vocabulary : The I-beam edge

Sergio,
I like the use of the long thin fat profile of the I-beam edge as a unifying vocabulary for the balustrade of the stairs, the balustrade for front of mezzanine, and the metal-framed-glass-wall of the mezzanine bathroom.

How about extending the same vocabulary to the kitchen as well? 
Instead of a close kitchen, we can build an open kitchen with a long island where the island is sited just below the I-beam, and the countertop of the island is of the same thickness (and possibly colour and material) as the I-beam edge. See drawings on left for possible kitchen configuration.
The same I-beam edge can also be used as drawer/cabinet handle that spans the entire width of the drawer/cabinet.

... and extending the same vocabulary to the suggested storage on the West wall.
Instead of close cabinets, a set of long thin floating shelves (with no visible support) will be better for books or for displaying objects.The profile (and if possible material and colour) of each shelf will match the I-beam edge.

Instead of blackened steel, can we consider painting the I-beam and all other similar elements a glossy white? Or a metallic brass finish? I'd like to keep the colour scheme as light as possible. This is to offset the lack of direct light coming into the flat (except in the morning). Perhaps (primarily) white, grey, brass/gold and accents of black and green?

"accents of black and greed"? God, I sound like a complete interior designer in that last sentence... :)

I found a lovely example of a blackened steel island, see picture on left.

More interesting is this steel table support from Craig Van der Brulle, I wish I can use it as the island support in the drawing I have above - what a statement it would make!

Preliminary Plans

So in efforts to keep this space as clean, sensible and open as possible- attached are two plan sketches showing what the main level and mezzanine level could look like. If you want to add major storage, we can look at adding full height storage along the West facing living room wall. Shown dashed on the mail level, is a full size Murphy bed for guests. The face of the mezzanine floor plate would be a metal I-Beam, leading to the metal staircase and handrail. I feel the upstairs bathroom wall facing the double height space and door, should be made of the same metal profile as the handrail (flat and wide) to create the frame for the wall and door- blackened steel, glass and metal mesh- to allow light into that bathroom from the living room windows. We'll discuss on Saturday in greater detail, but I think we're on the right track!

Home away from London

I've not even signed the contract yet and I am already having sleepness dreaming of how to renovate the space. I will be gutted if I dont get it. Otherwise the apartment will be!

It's been crudely tarted up when it was converted in the 70's. Everything must go. From the dropped ceiling hiding the AC ducts to the cheap parquet flooring. I have a chance to realign this loft with its 1920's industrial roots, and provide me with a home away from London town.

By the end of the demolitions, it will be reduced to a white box 19'6" wide by 26'6" deep by 13'2" high. The 10' high windows run nearly the full length of the 19'6" wall, with the entrance near the middle on the opposite wall.

Sergio Mercado is my friend and my architect redesigning this space, and this is our blog to share and store ideas, links, photographs.