Cities are living entities. And as such, they are born grow and develop. And sometimes they also die. Throughout this process, infinite changes occur that can be fast or slow. But changes, after all.
Urban and architectural modifications are more visible in cities that are or have been industrial. When a city has its livelihood in this sector, it is common for a series of changes to be generated to adapt to its new role. It is something that we can observe in many places where the industrial revolution, early or late, left its mark.
“The urban planning of that stage left a strong mark on the urban patterns and the city plan, by generating spaces in which the presence of the factories was a constant and a defining element of the urban; a landscape of factories that enveloped the historic quarters and the extensions and intermingled with the suburbs, coexisting the factory space with workers’ villages and self-construction zones and generating a ‘sub-city’ that over time will have to merge with the central areas and force, since the late 1990s, a process of requalification of central neighborhoods and suburban areas, observable in all contemporary cities, no matter their size, “says Paz Benito del Pozo.
As a consequence of this urban development, the industrial zones, which once occupied more or less peripheral areas, far from the centers of the urban centers, are now in the heart of the city. In this way, there are not a few industrial buildings that today are part of downtown areas, where for various and obvious reasons cannot, and should not, perform their original function.
Much has been said and written about what to do with these buildings. From those who have opted to cut for the healthy and tear them down, to those who, on the other hand, believe that rehabilitation and provide them with a new use adapted to current times is a way to keep the city on its feet and not erase its memory and identity.
As we have explained in some articles, if you opt for adaptation and rehabilitation, there is a wide range of possibilities. One of them is its transformation into a home, something that is not always easy, but if done well, it offers a nice and useful result.
This is what the Chicago interior design studio has done Vladimir Radutny Architects. From an ancient centenary factory that, at the time, housed an automobile manufacturing and exhibition area, has been able to create a beautiful loft-style home. After several years in which he performed an improvised function of housing, in 2018, the professionals of this study set to work to make this space an authentic home that, despite its original image, offers a warm and cozy look. The designers made the industrial features seem less overwhelming by compartmentalizing the space in a way that makes sense and feels natural and by adding warm materials, finishes and colors to the mix.
To access this house, you must cross a low transition area, lined with wood, whichlowers the feeling of being inside a real industrial room. “The scaled architectural components, the restriction of materials and the theatrical lighting throughout the place diminish the general spatial domain, while maintaining the openness and clarity of the space,” they point out on the studio’s website.
The house has different functional rooms, which make life easier for its inhabitants. In this way, we can find the laundry and the storage area, which are perfectly integrated within the built-in cabinets and strategically dispersed throughout the space. The kitchen elements are treated in a similar way and placed on the raised platform to enhance the experience during the preparation of meals with views towards one of the most emblematic streets of our city, ‘Michigan Avenue’. The continuous wooden platform organizes the vastness of the open room, providing an advantage for a more intimate arrangement of furniture and a backdrop for decorating with plants. Clad in black steel, the bedroom is located away from the perimeter for greater noise and temperature control. “Acting as a visual anchor on a platform, it is fully programmed, the metal skin transforms as the panels open, revealing one of the many uses contained within,” the designers note.
As one moves between levels, the surprises and the details do not stop appearing. The upper levels have guest bedrooms and work areas, allowing open living to have separation and connectivity throughout the day. In the upper loft, with a sloping ceiling, it allows you to almost touch the concrete ceiling with your hand, although it leaves enough space to make that corner a work or relaxation area.
With this example, it can be clearly seen that the old industrial buildings can reconvert to offer functions adapted to today’s reality, respecting the personality of cities, achieved throughout history.
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