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This is conventional wisdom, but it always felt odd to me. Loft apartments were originally created from business spaces. In the beginning, they were low cost b

This is conventional wisdom, but it always felt odd to me. Loft apartments were originally created from business spaces. In the beginning, they were low cost because of some undesirable properties but have slowly become an extremely in-demand style (huge windows and tons of light being major selling points). Why was it possible to convert industrial space into living space 50 years ago but today it is not possible?

dsr_ 3y ago
Because industrial space needs room for very large machines, which means large volumes and good access to them. Office cubicle farms around a services core are made up of small volumes and poor access.
yardie 3y ago
Lofts evolved from old factory and warehouses. This was in an era before air conditioning and fluorescent lighting. You needed lots of windows to light factories and lots of vertical space for convection cooling to work. Factories were at the edge of town and that town grew into a city. Eventually, the edge was closer to the center than the suburbs. And a new generation wanted to be city dwellers. Cheap lofts were peak re-urbanization, but now they are some of the most in demand housing because of the large space and natural lighting.
vel0city 3y ago
Old (like early 1900s old) industrial spaces are radically different structures than commercial office real estate from the 80s and 90s.
seanmcdirmid 3y ago
the buildings built 100 years ago to be converted 50 years ago are very different from the buildings built 50 years ago to be converted today. Improved efficiency and optimization for purpose in building design plays some role in that.
bombcar 3y ago
Because buildings that were already old 50 years ago were built before elevators and other massive height building techniques. Look at old factory pictures, usually about three or four stories max. That’s much more adaptable than a gigafactory or a World Trade Center.

dsr_ 3y ago

Because industrial space needs room for very large machines, which means large volumes and good access to them. Office cubicle farms around a services core are made up of small volumes and poor access.

yardie 3y ago

Lofts evolved from old factory and warehouses. This was in an era before air conditioning and fluorescent lighting. You needed lots of windows to light factories and lots of vertical space for convection cooling to work. Factories were at the edge of town and that town grew into a city. Eventually, the edge was closer to the center than the suburbs. And a new generation wanted to be city dwellers. Cheap lofts were peak re-urbanization, but now they are some of the most in demand housing because of the large space and natural lighting.

vel0city 3y ago

Old (like early 1900s old) industrial spaces are radically different structures than commercial office real estate from the 80s and 90s.

seanmcdirmid 3y ago

the buildings built 100 years ago to be converted 50 years ago are very different from the buildings built 50 years ago to be converted today. Improved efficiency and optimization for purpose in building design plays some role in that.

bombcar 3y ago

Because buildings that were already old 50 years ago were built before elevators and other massive height building techniques. Look at old factory pictures, usually about three or four stories max. That’s much more adaptable than a gigafactory or a World Trade Center.