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JOHN BROWN is the editor of theslowhome.com and the founder of the Slow Home Movement. He is a registered architect, real estate broker and Professor of Architecture at the University of Calgary.
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Loft Renovation in a Former Department Store
Living Area
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Dividing Wall
Dining Hall
Custom Dining Table
Kitchen
Master Bedroom Entry
Custom Bed
Guest Bedroom
Master Bath
Floor Plan
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Located in the bustling Union Square area, the 2500 SF trapezoid shaped loft is housed in a former department store, with original cast iron columns and tin ceilings. The client, an educational consultant, requested a tranquil residence for daily living as well as receiving frequent guests. The strategy adopted was to insert a modern intervention, clad in wood panels, operable sliding glass windows and wood louvers, into the center and thus creating a public front for the private back. The Living Room and Study are located at the front, facing the street, while the Guest Bath, Master Bedroom and Master Bath are located at the back. Connecting the public and private realms is the Kitchen and Dining Area, which acts as a transitional space, as well as the loft’s focal point.
Materiality, texture and coloration are orchestrated to further articulate the architectural design intention. The natural grain of the quartered ash with vertical/horizontal veneer paired with the soft porcelain tile contrasts the cool precision of stainless steel appliances and satin nickel fixtures.
The interior decoration further enhances the calm tranquility of the loft with carefully selected and placed furnishings. The result is a spacious yet intimate residence, overlooking the excitement of Union Square below, yet reflecting the cultured serenity of the owner above.
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We believe that our homes and neighborhoods should be healthy, vibrant places that uplift the spirit and gracefully fit our needs. We call for an end to poor construction, bad design, misleading marketing, unfair lending practices and environmental neglect in the housing industry. We acknowledge our collective responsibility to create CLOSE, SIMPLE, LIGHT places to live that leave a positive legacy for future generations.
provides design focused information that homeowners can use to improve the quality of how and where they live. It takes its name from the slow food movement which arose as a reaction to the processed food industry. The sprawl of cookie cutter housing that surrounds us is like fast food - standardized, homogenous, and wasteful. It contributes to a too fast life that is bad for us, our cities, and the environment. In the same way that slow food raises awareness of the food we eat and how these choices affect our lives, Slow Home empowers you to take more control of your home and improve the quality of how you live while reducing your environmental impact and futureproofing the long term investment value of your home.
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