Bauhaus Loft | Axelrod Architects

Working to the owner’s brief, architect Irit Axelrod converted a vast asymmetrical 200  sq.m (2,700 sq. ft) light-filled shell into a modern loft pared back to expose the original structure – the rough concrete ceiling, a heavy structural pillar, and the electricity and aircon ducts are all on the show – creating a home tailored to the owner’s lifestyle and the perfect showcase for his art and book collections.

Challenged by an oddly angular space in a non-orthogonal building, Axelrod chose to “override” the angles, as it were, by treating the entire space as one, broken only by a black, free-standing rectangular ‘container’ with a black patina finish. As the container does not touch any perimeter wall it appears to float in the space. One of its long sides provides a backdrop to the living room, but this is deceptive as it’s more than a wall on which to display art – the container conceals a stylish en suite bathroom, guest bathroom, and powder room, storage, and a laundry room.

The clean lines, open space, and limited palette of colors respect the owner’s personality, giving him a home and gallery space that is at a complete remove from the noisy, crowded and rather tired inner-city neighborhood in which urban regeneration is inching forward, one building at a time.