“Hard” Lofts
What we consider to be a real loft (hard loft) in it’s truest form, which most regard as the only kind of loft, is typically a conversion of an old warehouse or factory industrial building. The term “hard” is derived from the fact that the interior of such space having a harder, more rugged material such as that of concrete construction, exposed brick, heating ducts and, in some cases plumbing pipes as well as original wood posts, beams and floors. Authentic details and atmosphere is everything for a hard loft.
Ceilings are at least ten feet high but are typically higher. Ah, but high ceilings does not a hard loft make. Ceiling height is becoming increasingly more important for loft purchasers, and therefore developers are now building condos with slightly higher ceilings than in the past. The ceiling height is what helps give a hard loft the feeling of having an open concept and spacious living space. Large windows and open floor plans also help to achieve this desired effect.
It’s unlikely to find hard lofts divided up into two bedrooms and a den. It is much more common to have a kitchen and a bathroom with the rest of the space left as one large open room, leaving an open canvas that you can creatively work with and use according to your own functions, needs and taste. Some think a loft means you have a second level which overlooks the floor below, but this is simply one style of loft and not usually found in a real (hard) loft.
Most hard lofts are zoned for both live/work, which makes it easier to operate a business out of your home. As a tax write off, they make it much more straight forward for your accountant and for Revenue Canada.
It is quite frustrating the way the hard loft term is being used very loosely on a regular basis these days. It is easy to define both the “hard” and “soft” loft, but what do you call the in-between one. For the purposes of defining, I will name it the “intermediate” loft. This is the loft that has been converted from a warehouse or factory, but has none of the character of a true (hard) loft.
One great example of an “intermediate” loft is The Merchandise Building on Dalhousie Street in downtown Toronto near Ryerson University and the Eaton Centre. The Merchandise building was built as a department store, and later became a Sears warehouse, before being converted to lofts in the 1990s under the guidance of the City of Toronto. The units are in a converted warehouse, but where is the industrial character? Each “intermediate” loft is mainly dry walled with marginally high ceilings, some with concrete floors. If you are lucky, there is half of a column in your hallway.
We are asked on many occasions from clients about “raw” spaces, simple empty shells of space that they can do with as they please. Although very rare, you can sometimes find one that someone thought to have the developer leave alone, a loft that is a single room with some plumbing and cooking facilities. But these are few and far between – and generally very expensive when you find them, depending on the location.
If a hard loft could speak, it would say: ”Let the pillars get in the way; brick and wood be exposed and pipes and ductwork show, for this is the way I am meant to be and this is the way I want to stay.”
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The Fascination with Lofts
Lofts have been extremely popular among artists who love the wide open spaces and high ceilings which allow for a great space to work in. In Toronto and other major metropolitan centres, there is an increased demand for loft developments due to the convenience offered by a “design it for yourself”, unrestricted space. When looking for lofts in Toronto, please realize that they are much more in demand than ever before. This, combined with the overall increase in real estate prices in the Toronto area, means that loft seekers can’t expect their space to come cheap.
There are certain characteristics that are essential to loft living and, for many of us, moving to an urban apartment is about tapping into the excitement and cultural opportunities of the big city and can also mean a shorter commute to work. But finding a place in the city can mean sacrificing the larger living spaces found in the suburbs or country. Urban dwellers are finding that loft apartments offer the location and opportunities of city life with far more space than average condos or apartment homes. What’s the idea behind lofts, and why are they so popular?
Lofts have a certain appeal with high ceilings, open floor plans, rough-hewn floors, and exposed brick walls. They are considered a hip housing alternative for many urban professionals. Today’s loft dwellers embrace new-age metropolitan living in all its glory. Those who buy these unique dwellings have shaken off long daily commutes, granting them more personal time, more cultural and entertainment possibilities and an active, city lifestyle. If you crave something eclectic, out of the ordinary and convenient to all of the excitement the city has to offer, a loft may be for you! Select from newly constructed (soft) lofts, or restored historical building loft conversions (hard lofts).
One definition for a loft found on the Web is — An appeal against convention- convention in thinking, convention in building and convention in living. They are a collaboration of open concept living and unconventional spaces brought about by the considered application of imagination and a rejection of mass-market housing.
The origin of the word Loft comes from the Old Norse lopt which means– upper room or air. In 19th Century English usage the word came to mean– the upper stories of a warehouse or factory. The modern boom in the conversion of such spaces into living areas came in the 1940s in the SoHo District of New York City. By the 1970s so many of these conversions had been done that the city was forced to re-zone the area to make such conversions legal.
The concept was spreading first across the United States in the 1980’s and then to Europe and Asia. As the trend grew, it caught the attention of developers identifying a new market. Developers being developers did not let a lack of owning an existing warehouse or factory building to convert stop them from moving into the new market. Thus the new word Loft began to be applied to units in ground up new construction. As a result, the term began to be used out of context.
Lofts are part of the Postmodernism movement in architecture. Postmodernism is a counter-reaction to the strict and almost universal modernism of the mid-20th Century. It embraces elements from historical building styles incorporating them without a rigid adherence to one style. It also often uses the structural or mechanical elements of a building in the design.
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“Soft”, or New Lofts
In the building industry today, there is an increasingly large segment devoted to building new lofts, or “soft” lofts. When you go to a new loft building, most expect to see living space on the lower level with sleeping space above, open to the lower, usually with a large wall of windows. Some new loft developers are now creating units with only one level and high ceilings with exposed duct work.
The hard loft advocates say that loft only means a raw and open space in a converted industrial type building. This is what it has come to mean more and more, with the credit for this to go mostly to movies and television. But a loft can also be an upper level, one that is open to below. Either way we use the word, we are correct, but we need the qualifier in front, be it hard or soft. In this way can we differentiate what type of dwelling we are speaking of.
Newly constructed lofts, or soft lofts (otherwise known as condos with high ceilings), are examples of condo developers trying to take advantage of the popularity of lofts. Most soft lofts are devoid of character and, in most instances, the ceilings aren’t that high. The quality of construction can be disappointing and quite often the location is really the only selling point, since vintage lofts are usually a little off the beaten track, most often not in the best neighbourhoods.
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Loft Definitions
What is a “hard” loft?
A true (hard) loft is a conversion of a vintage factory or warehouse. They have a harder edge as they are usually constructed of concrete or “mill” construction of exposed brick, original wood posts, beams and floors. Typically, these lofts have an open concept floor plan and unfinished ceilings that are at least 10′ high with exposed ducts, plumbing and electrical. Examples include the Merchandise Building, Noble Street, Liberty Lofts and the Toy Factory Lofts.
What is a “soft” loft?
Recently, developers have been creating new buildings with some of the characteristics of a hard loft such as high ceilings, big windows and open concept floor plans. These lofts typically have a softer edge with drywall, no exposed ducts and plumbing, carpet in some areas and upscale kitchens and baths. Soft lofts have more in common with traditional condominiums than a true hard loft.
What is an “artist live/work” loft?
The first of these developments appeared on Shanly Street (near Bloor and Dovercourt) and most featured minimal finishing, 16′ ceilings and steel frame construction. Toronto bylaws allow for the development of buildings with “artist live/work” zoning. The City’s zoning restricted their use to people who were engaged in a precisely defined list of artistic activities. Over time these buildings have come to be occupied by people who simply enjoy the loft life.
Distinctive elements of the loft life:
- Design your own space – In a loft, the floor plan can be altered at any time. You can arrange your sleeping area in one part of the space, then move it somewhere else if you have guests or if you just need the area for another use. Kitchens and bathrooms are the only permanent rooms, but temporary partitions, hanging curtains, or even changes in floor covering can alter other spaces.
- Industrial buildings – The term loft began in New York and Chicago when renters and owners began turning old industrial buildings into living spaces. The original tenants were artists who craved the high ceilings, large windows and open floor plans typical of converted warehouses and factories.
- Eclectic style – a great aspect of many lofts is the opportunity for eclectic design and decorating. For example, a loft might feature soft, delicate window treatments on reinforced factory windows, or a modern couch sitting on a hundred-year-old hardwood floor. This mixture of old with new and practicality with comfort can form a wonderful esthetic that makes the most of a loft’s mixed-use nature.
- Regardless of the type of loft, all Lofts have basic common elements:
- Open concept floor plans
- Very few interior walls
- High ceilings – some definitions set minimum ceiling heights at twelve feet
- Exposed piping, ductwork, structural elements
- Large windows
- Access to the sky often with roof top gardens or decks
- Easily merges living and work space, blurring the lines between workplace and residence
- Carries with it a mix of traditional with modern finishes – concrete, metal, stone, brick, wood used freely alongside of drywall, ceramic tile and vinyl
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