Greene Street Lofts — DXA Studio

47-49 Greene Street, a 6-story building between Broome and Grand Street in the landmarked district of SoHo, is an extant example of the mixed iron-and-masonry construction of the post-Civil war period. Perimeter masonry loadbearing walls enclose a timber structure. Yellow pine joists span the width of the 48’ wide building and a column line runs down the center of each floor supporting the central beams. In our design, we wanted to speak to SoHo’s past and the various movements that lent themselves to the creation of the area’s unique character and charm.

Rather than chopping up the floor plate into all the typical ‘rooms’ that make up a New York apartment, we focused on organizing the spaces in a manner that retained as much open, un-programmed floor space as possible. The plan arranges the ‘private’ components (bedrooms, bathrooms and storage) of an apartment towards the back of the building. The front of the unit is kept more fluid, with the public living spaces bleeding into one another, giving the inhabitant the freedom to occupy them in numerous ways.

Whilst we were committing to maintaining the characteristics of the loft as much as possible, we were acutely aware that we were designing a home. Introducing the residential scale was important to make the space comfortable and inviting. In both the kitchen and the den, we changed gears. We lowered the ceilings and wrapped the spaces in warm white oak millwork, creating intimate experiences that contrast to those belonging to the grander living areas. The rooms feel separate but connected all at once.