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attention had to do with keeping the character--the strong, elegant
aspect--of the building.
We were concerned with maintaining the large
scale, the giant proportions. Those proportions had to do
with determining the size of interior elements: windows,
doors, corridor widths--then the height of door levers.
We overscaled things, and worked to keep it
uncluttered, keeping the new elements as free from the columns
as possible. The columns work as sculptural elements. Our
main goal was to preserve one large room wherever possible,
because that's our idea of a loft. We weren't interested
in bending or curving walls and decided early on to keep
everything at 90 degrees. We wanted large rooms, very clear
and full of natural light. The design preserves the wood
floors, large windows and high ceilings that give the building
its character.
The building's
original character determined the palette of materials. There is
a pure aesthetic as far as materials are concerned, using steel
plate and salvaged timbers. When in doubt, we have used industrial
materials, but in refined ways. David Wise was project architect
for John Carney & Associates.
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