Apartment Living: Could genuine loft apartments catch on here? asks Edel Morgan
What is the difference between an apartment and a "flexible living space"? The latter sounds like a far more hip and interesting place to live - and is a term that is popping up more frequently on sales brochures - but when de-mystified usually means "open-plan".
The only true flexible living spaces are vast loft apartments - of which there are few in this country. The nearest we have in this country is loft-"style". The real ones are typically found in industrial areas of cities in north America, England and parts of Europe and are typically conversions of warehouses, mills, factories, or even banks. Their appeal is the abandonment of suburban clutter and compartmentalised living in favour of space with high ceilings, vast floor areas, large windows, exposed brickwork and spectacular views of whichever city they are in.
Lofts originated in the SoHo area of Manhattan in the 1940s, and were largely occupied by artists. Now they have become so fashionable that, in some areas of London for example, they are running out of warehouses to convert.
The closest we have to a loft conversion here is probably the Warehouse development, formerly the Crowe Wilson building on Clambrassil Terrace, launched by developer Michael Roden in 1999. It has many of the loft hallmarks including higher than average ceilings, large windows and terraces with views over the city and the Dublin mountains.
An interesting conversion by Capital and Provident Regeneration developers in Hoxton, east London - a centre for BritArt in the 1990s and a mecca for creative industries - is currently on the market. Called Arthouse, it was once a Victorian schoolhouse and architects Stock Woolstencroft have created apartments retaining the original herringbone parquet flooring, double height sash window, and vast glazed atrium.
Irish-born designer Paul Daly - who has worked on U2's Zoo TV and PopMart tours and designed interiors for Ri Rá in Temple Bar and Ozwald Boateng's Savile Row showroom - was responsible for the awesome interiors of the show apartment. It blends exposed brick and stark industrial lines with sumptuous fabrics and walnut panelling.
Hoxton is an area that has benefited from regeneration but has seen some of its artistic community priced out of the property market by rising prices. Arthouse is being sold off the plans with prices starting at £225,00 for smaller one-bed units and range from £305,000 to £350,00 for two-bed apartments, which are smaller than the typical loft at up to 85 sq m (915 sq ft). Simon Ensor of Sherry FitzGerald says that apart from the Warehouse development, the loft is a very scarce commodity in Ireland. "Others try to create them by shoving tiny boxes into what was a warehouse but they're often not a patch on the light-filled open-plan spaces you get in New York."
Warehouses are traditionally located in industrial estates which are not conducive to residential schemes "but there are probably some opportunities in the Docklands but to date most conversions have been commercial developments like pubs and restaurants. There is definitely potential to convert more warehouses to residential use. There is very good demand from people who have lived in them in other countries and are disappointed to find a limited supply here."
