This West Loop Loft renovation unifies four existing lofts in a former Nabisco cracker factory built in 1884 into one large open space by Scrafano Architects in Chicago, Illinois. The  6,000 square foot residence is situated in the top northwest corner of a five story, brick and timber-frame building. The three-story loft has mezzanines at every level using a dynamic layering of cantilevered metal grate floors with open rails increasing the live/work area and allowing light to filter to the spaces below.

The kitchen and eating area were located in the center of the space to create a central social gathering and communal area. Fireplaces are used as focal points to mark both ends of the L-shaped living space.Built-in shelves and cabinetry separate interior rooms while simultaneously connecting spaces and storing the owners’ large book collection and travel treasures. The bedrooms, bathrooms, and offices are tucked upstairs under the building’s original wood ceiling. The new trapezoidal twenty-foot skylight provides views to the sky and directs natural light into the two story spaces below.

The Chicago approved green roof deck and trellis creates an outdoor living room while providing an unobstructed 360-degree view of the Chicago skyline beyond. Stainless steel mesh panels delineate the garden edge while providing a screen from the unsightly HVAC units. The undulating IPE wood deck, sloping trellis, small lawn and the native prairie grasses soften the urban industrial setting.

Photos: Catherine Tighe

Additional Images from Magazines

Photos: CS Interiors

Photos: Midwest Home