What is loft?

1. What is LOFT

The definition of LOFT in the Oxford Dictionary is "an attic under the roof where things are stored." But now the so-called LOFT refers to those "high open spaces transformed from old factories or old warehouses with few interior wall partitions." This meaning was born in the SOHO district of New York. The connotation of LOFT is a tall and open space with characteristics such as fluidity, development, transparency, and artistry! After the 1990s, LOFT became an art fashion sweeping the world. If we say that the birth of LOFT originated from impoverished artists turning waste into treasure, then today LOFT as a lifestyle or fashion trend has completely evolved into a kind of conspicuous consumption.

2. Origin

In the 1940s, the LOFT lifestyle first appeared in New York, USA.

At that time, artists and designers used abandoned industrial factories to separate various spaces for living, working, socializing, entertainment, collection, etc. In the vast factories, they constructed various lifestyles, Create performance art or hold a work exhibition, which is refreshing and satisfying. And these factories later became the most unique, avant-garde, and most popular places among young people.

In the late 20th century, LOFT, an art that perfectly collided with industrialization and postmodernism, gradually evolved into a fashionable way of living and working.

3. Elements

The defining elements of Loft mainly include: tall and open space, upper and lower double-storey duplex structure, stairs and beams similar to dramatic stage effects; mobility, Barrier-free within the unit; transparency, reducing privacy; openness, all-round combination of units; artistry, usually the owner decides all styles and patterns on his own.

4. Living style

The space of LOFT is very flexible. People can create their dream home and dream life as they like without being overwhelmed by what they already have. Restricted by institutions or components. People can make the space completely open or divide it, so that it contains personalized aesthetic taste. Since then, the rough column walls, gray cement floors, and exposed steel structures have become synonymous with old warehouses. A new breath is surging in each of the unprepossessing old factory buildings. This is LOFT life.

LOFT symbolizes the life and creation of avant-garde art and artists. It challenges traditional living concepts such as garden houses, and challenges the concepts of work and living zoning in modern cities. Work and living do not need to be separated. It can happen in the same large space, with some overlap between factory buildings and residences. The LOFT lifestyle allows residents to still feel the uninhibited freedom of being in the countryside even in a bustling city.

5. Classic LOFT

(SOHO area) are all old buildings, and the architectural styles are almost the same: large square geometry, red brick exterior walls, Old fire escapes, dark and old water towers... This used to be a warehouse area where textiles were stored, so these buildings were not designed for aesthetics at all. The only impression they gave people was that they were tall, spacious and strong. The usual approach (for poor artists) is to design large bays or hollow parts of the building as work areas, and then build a loft in a certain part of the space for living. This is the prototype of LOFT. The furniture may have been picked up, so the damaged areas had to be covered with floral cloth. The floral cloth was homemade in the workshop next door, so it looked very unique; the walls in the room were very thick and strong, and the area was too large. Some cabinets had to be nailed You can put things on the board; there is really no need to smooth all the walls with cement, just paint them... Because at the beginning of the design of these buildings, the issue of lighting was not considered at all, and even if there are huge windows, there are no windows outside. There is no scenery to speak of, so the walls are painted in brilliant colors and the huge, exaggeratedly bright industrial lighting fixtures are adapted and used. In order to make a living, artists transformed the first-floor rooms facing the street in these buildings into shops to sell their works. They had no extra money to decorate such a huge room, so the characteristics of the industrial building itself were fully exposed, creating a huge visual contrast with the display windows and merchandise. This visual contradiction created a curious Effect. ”

6. Loft re-explanation

LOFT literally means warehouse or attic, but the word gradually became fashionable in the late twentieth century and evolved into a fashionable living and When it comes to lifestyle, its connotation has far exceeded the original meaning of this word.

Origin: In the 1940s, the LOFT lifestyle first appeared in New York.

< p>At that time, artists and designers used abandoned industrial factories to separate various spaces for living, working, socializing, entertainment, collecting, etc. In the vast factories, they constructed various lifestyles, created performance art, or Holding exhibitions of works was exciting and satisfying, and these factories later became the most unique, avant-garde, and most popular places for young people.

In the late 20th century, LOFT became the most industrialized and popular place. The art of the perfect collision of postmodernism has gradually evolved into a fashionable way of living and working, and has been widely spread around the world.

Nowadays, LOFT is always compared with words such as artist, avant-garde, pioneer, and 798.

Comment: The performance of loft in architectural style is described by Qiu Zhijie, a famous conceptual artist and conceptual photographer: “The respect for the established space is combined with the bold cutting and reconstruction of space within economic limits; Exquisite quality of life requirements are combined with cheap decoration, and cheap decoration often requires more sophisticated design. This kind of set restrictions and specific purpose tasks often lead to amazing ingenuity in design."

" In terms of details, loft buildings in various places use a large number of glass and steel frame overhangs, which leads to the mutual penetration of internal and external landscapes. In addition to pragmatic lighting design, it also includes an attitude of recognition of the surrounding similar environment, and also marks the life in it. The non-private nature of people’s living conditions.”

“On the other hand, such buildings are often willing to expose, even deliberately show off the existing concrete beam and column structures, or aestheticize various industrial residues. , which just proves that the residents who reuse these industrial buildings have a sense of distance from industrial civilization. To them, machines, cement, and pipes no longer mean tension and depression, nor monotony and indifference. Personality and coolness that are hard to come by.”

Living style: LOFT space has great flexibility, and people can create their dream home and dream life as they wish. It will not be restricted by existing institutions or components. People can make the space completely open or divide it, so that it contains personalized aesthetic taste. Since then, the rough column walls, gray cement floors, and exposed steel structures have become synonymous with old warehouses. A new breath is surging in each of the unprepossessing old factory buildings. This is LOFT life.

LOFT symbolizes the life and creation of avant-garde art and artists. It challenges traditional living concepts such as garden houses, and challenges the concepts of work and living zoning in modern cities. Work and living do not need to be separated. It can happen in the same large space, with some overlap between factory buildings and residences. The LOFT lifestyle allows residents to still feel the uninhibited freedom of being in the countryside even in a bustling city.

7. Other forms of LOFT

Commercial LOFT

Commercial LOFT refers to a building with a beam height of 5 meters and a second floor used as storage or office space. Usually a factory with offices on the second floor.

Dockyard LOFT

A raised area or workshop in a shipyard where workers adjust nooses.

Dock LOFT

A large, open space used by workers to prepare boats for launch.

Church LOFT

Some churches have a choir loft, an area where the choir can stand or sit while singing. Sometimes, the church organ is also in the LOFT.

8.LOFTER - LOFT enthusiasts

LOFTER, the title of LOFT enthusiasts, refers to ordinary LOFT enthusiasts. Such people are usually interested in LOFT out of curiosity or other reasons. Interested in style of architecture especially homes. They like this new lifestyle and are willing to try it. LOFTER is usually a group of young people who pursue fashion. They experience the unique charm of LOFT and find the heartbreaking utopia they long for.