Loftitect

response to "I require more updates of the finished product!"

2013-01-26T23:14:00.002-08:00

Here is a panaramic shot of the studio when we opened for the LA Brewery Artwalk last October:
http://bit.ly/10ZzBEM

More updates soon

Cooking with Gas! (Liquid Propane Gas)

2011-10-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

For those of us used to cooking with gas, it comes as a rude shock that industrial lofts don't necessarily have natural gas hookups. In an industrial zone, occupants may be expected to supply their own gas if they require it to manufacture their goods. The industrial loft complex we moved into does not have natural gas supply lines so power for heating, hot water and cooking is provided via electricity. Since we prefer to cook over a gas flame instead of electric coils, the lack of natural gas posed a challenge.

After some research into alternatives to natural gas and electricity, we realized that denizens of high-altitude and remote regions generally utilize liquid propane gas (LPG) as a safe, effective source of cooking flames. We then discovered that there was a well-known, high-end appliance company in our area that was well-versed in manufacturing liquid propane-ready cooktops. Generally, LPG cooktops are hooked up to large propane tanks situated just outside the dwelling. Pressure regulators and reinforced gas lines and fittings ensure controlled and safe gas delivery. In our case, however, installing a big tank outside the loft wasn't an option, so we consulted with people familiar with LPG hookups and determined that there was no known reason why we couldn't connect the appliance to a smaller, portable, barbeque-style 20lb LPG tank. So we decided to take the plunge and purchase a beautiful LPG four-burner cooktop. The LPG cooktop comes with a factory-installed pressure regulator that automatically shuts off the gas supply if the gas force is too great. Furthermore, the propane supply tank - whatever the size - must be fitted with a second pressure regulator that also controls the force of the gas coming out of the tank. It is a fail-safe design that combined with the manually-controlled gas shutoff valve found of all portable tanks, is extremely safe.

Factory Regulator (connected to gas lines with "Pipe Dope" sealant)

Tank-Side Regulator

We drove a few miles to the factory to pick up the LPG cooktop and got to see the immaculate and very organized Japanese-style assembly facility where the cooktop was made. Once we got the cooktop home we examined the cutsheet (guidelines for the dimensions required to fit, install and power the appliance) and fabricated a custom phenolic resin countertop to house it. Then we hooked the factory-supplied gas pipe and regulator to the propane tank line - the propane tank also had to have its own pressure regulator for the cooktop to work. A single pressure regulator won't allow the burners to ignite because the amount of gas pressure coming out of an unregulated propane tank causes the cooktop-side regulator valve to close. But with a pressure regulator attached to each end of the gas line, the gas flow is highly controlled and the burners light like a charm.

Easy Tank Storage

High-End Looks and Performance

Cooking with liquid propane has been fun and educational. At first, we anticipated the 20lb tank would run out of gas within two weeks or so. Thus far, however, one tank has lasted us over five weeks for daily teakettle heating, egg-frying and 4 nights-a-week dinner cooking. The little tank has not run out! In addition, we discovered that LPG burns hotter and heats faster than natural gas. Propane provides more energy per unit volume than natural gas -- propane will give you over 2x the BTUs as the same volume of natural gas. A kettle of water seems to boil in approximately 2/3 of the time and frying takes about 33-50% less flame strength. It has been a rewarding solution to cooking with gas without a natural gas supply. As an added bonus, city folk who don't have experience cooking with LPG think it's a pretty clever and amazing setup.

Cooking with Gas!

LOFTwall Separation Wall

2011-10-17T15:03:00.000-07:00

Several months ago when we moved into our work/live loft, we realized we wanted to screen off certain areas from the view of clients visiting the architecture studio. Since the loft is mixed-use and houses an office, a mezzanine live space, a storage area, and my pottery studio, we needed several walls and screens. We built walls around the storage room and we put up corrugated metal to screen the mezzanine 'live' space.

We decided, however, that we only wanted to partially screen off the pottery studio. A pottery workshop shares some similar characteristics with an architecture studio and proximity to someone working on clay or tinkering in a workshop can be an interesting concept for visitors and a motivating force for employees. But workshops are often cluttered and can't always be cleaned up when an unexpected visitor arrives. The logical solution for a partition was a lightweight, partially translucent, room divider. While searching online for room partitions, we stumbled across LOFTwall - a company that makes mod-looking movable separator walls that could be customized through the selection of different color panels and wall sizes. The walls are also VOC-free and the frames are made from recycled content and the wall components are recyclable.

It just so happened that at the time we discovered LOFTwall, they were having a contest to design a wall - the winner would receive a free LOFTwall! After consulting the architecture firm's design team and being advised that people get excited by red, I submitted my contest entry - a red and black wall with a translucent white panel in the center.

The LOFTwall Design Contest Entry

Voting was conducted on LOFTwall's facebook page and, thanks to the support of friends and fans, my entry made it through three rounds of voting and ultimately won! Now I could design my very own LOFTwall to use as a partition between the architecture studio and the workshop.

We knew that the LOFTwall might have to be moved in the future for use in a reception area or to screen the conference table during meetings. So we decided that the wall should blend in with the overarching grey and white color palette of the office, let light filter through to the workshop, and not clash with the red kitchen. So we designed a grey, black and white wall with translucent panels and a two-sided dry-erase board that can be used for doodles in the workshop on one side and to convey ideas in the conference area on the other side.

Drawing on the Wall is Okay!

The LOFTwall arrived in three boxes with simple instructions on how to assemble the rails and panels with the provided allen wrench and screwdriver.

Unpacked & Ready to Assemble

First Row of Panels & Rails

Assembled and Ready to Move

It took all of 10 minutes or so to assemble and tighten the entire wall. Then we placed it next to the workshop. The modern materials and neutral colors blend perfectly with the space and the clear textured panels allow light into the workshop without revealing exactly what's behind the wall.

LOFTwall view from Conference Table

LOFTwall view from Workshop

Kitchen Installation Part 2 - Phenolic Resin Countertops

2011-09-08T12:37:00.000-07:00

We designed a modern office kitchen for the architecture studio, so we wanted to use an interesting material for the countertops - something other than the traditional granite, corian, or butcherblock. An industrial loft is a tough place, so unusual and industrial-looking materials are a logical choice. We threw various ideas around about what might look cool - concrete, slate, stainless steel, varnished plywood - and then we remembered the old-school, black laboratory tabletops from high school chemistry class. It turns out lab tabletops are made from phenolic resin - a descendant of the early synthetic resins that were used to make things like Bakelite back in the early 1900's. Phenolic panels are made by soaking layers of absorbent material such as paper, wood dust, linen or cotton fibers in phenolic resin and subjecting it to heat and pressure. Once the resin cures, the resulting product is a super tough, heat and stain-resistant panel.

Finding the Panels

We contacted one of the biggest manufacturers of architectural phenolic resin panels, Trespa. Unlike some phenolic resin panels, Trespa doesn't contain formaldehyde and is therefore eligible for indoor air quality credits under the LEED green building certification system. Their local sales rep, Greg, sent us samples in various colors and, sure enough, the old-fashioned laboratory black was available as well as mod metallic colors such as Aluminum. Greg offered us architect trade pricing which turned out to be more cost-effective than alternate countertop materials such as granite or solid-surface products, which generally cost between $30 and $40 per square foot. When we realized how many colors were available and how cost-effective it was, we decided we could use phenolic panels for desks, office shelves, cabinet doors and bathroom counters.

Red Checkmarks Show Panel Uses

We came up with a list of square footage we needed, which turned out to be quite a bit, so to keep the costs from escalating we asked if there was overage or scrap material available. Greg contacted one of Southern California's biggest fabricators of phenolic panels, who just happened to have leftover panels they were happy to sell to us for the cost of the labor to package it. We ordered 7 sheets (in black, aluminum, and metallic grey), which amounted to half a ton of panels.

Picking up the Panels

Getting the panels to the loft was complicated. To have them delivered would cost $500 because it involved a trucker and semi driving almost 200 miles to our location and 200 miles back. Since we were already seriously over-budget, we decided to pick the panels up ourselves. But some of the panels were 6ftx12ft which doesn't fit in a pickup or regular van. In addition, they would be packaged on a big forklift pallet. Luckily, we knew that our neighbor, the set designer, regularly used a giant truck to transport sets. He directed us to the local production crew truck rental company, and we rented a 12 foot long panel truck with a lift gate for $100. We drove 200 miles to the factory, they loaded the pallet onto the truck and we drove back. Back at the loft, it became apparent there was no way the two of us could lift a panel, nor could we maneuver the panels up and around our landing and into the door in order to get them inside the loft. Thankfully, a neighbor with a large loading dock allowed us to store the panels on his dock and let us use his industrial woodshop to cut the panels to size. Two other neighbors helped us lift the panels onto the dock and then helped guide them through the table saw. We truly appreciated the community effort.

The Cut Panels

Buying the Tools

We contacted several installers who knew how to cut and install phenolic countertops and requested bids for the 6'x3' kitchen island counter and 5'x2' and 2'x2' kitchen wall counters. When we couldn't get a quote for less than $2,500 we decided to cut and install the countertops ourselves, which is not as simple as it sounds. Phenolic resin is as tough as hardwood, so you need powerful tools with sharp carbide cutting bits to shape it. We had a router, but it wasn't powerful enough to tackle phenolic, so we had to buy a big 3.25 horsepower router, a 2" long straight bit, a 1/8" roundover bit, and a carbide-tipped 60 tooth table saw blade. Since the panels are 3/8" thick, we also needed a two-part epoxy resin adhesive to build up layers for the edges so the counters would look the correct thickness once installed. We also needed a panel adhesive to stick the panels to the plywood substrate.

Supplies for Making the Countertops

The Island Counter
We built the "easiest" counter first. A simple 6' x 3' counter for the island. First we cut the plywood panels that sit directly on top of the cabinets (the substrate) and made sure they fit.

Fitting and Leveling the Substrate

Then we removed the plywood, applied panel adhesive to it and set it upside down on the phenolic resin countertop. We then took long 2" wide strips of phenolic and epoxied them together to build up the edges of the counter. Since the phenolic was only 3/8" thick and the average countertop is 1 1/2" thick, we needed to epoxy 4 additional layers along the edges of the main counter panel.

Panel Adhesive on the Plywood

Edge Layers Epoxied and Clamped

We then weighted everything down and secured it for curing overnight.

Countertop Drying Upside-down with Extra Panels On Top as Weights

Finishing the Edges

The next day, the epoxy was dry and it was time to clean up the edges with the router using the 3/4" diameter 2" long straight trim bit. The bit made the sides nice and straight. In order to take the sharpness off the top and bottom of the edges, we then used a roundover bit that shaved a quarter-circle shape off the edges.

Router Smoothing out the Counter Edges

Epoxied Layered Edge Before Router

Layered Edge After Router

The Final Result
All that was left was to move the countertop onto the island cabinets and secure it by screwing it down from the inside of the cabinets. Most cabinet bases come with holes drilled along the top edge of the frame just for this purpose. After much hard work, we now have an island countertop and the skills to tackle the more difficult counter that wraps around the kitchen column.

Countertop Installed

Final Stats
Cost: (Note: most costs cover add'l panel uses: desks, shelves, conference table, etc.)
6'x12' Phenolic Panel (only 1/3 used) = $50
Panel Truck & Gas = $225
Plywood Sheets = $25
3 HP Router = $350
2" Straight Router Bit = $22
1/8" Roundover Bit - $25
Liquid Nails Panel Adhesive = $20
Carbide Table Saw Blade = $40
Two-Part Marine Epoxy = $75
Acetone = $7

Difficulty: Hard (Requires Strength, Heavy Tool Skills, Poses Danger)

Studio Design

2011-08-25T08:47:00.000-07:00

Now that the kitchen design is finished and in the process of being installed, we are ready to work on the layout of the architecture studio. This area will need to be flexible so it can be modified as the practice grows. This will be achieved with the use of modular furniture and a movable partition that can be reconfigured as the spatial needs of the practice evolve. Programmatic requirements for the design include a reception/lounge area, work stations, a conference room, and a workshop.

Floorplan with furniture layout

Through the use of 3D modeling, we are able to get an accurate view of how the spaces will be defined by the furniture layout.

Section view looking along south wall

Section view looking along north wall

The renderings help us determine if the layout, furniture design and color scheme work. In this case, the renderings helped us realize that we want to limit the red color scheme to the kitchen and not bring it in to the work area. The rendering also helped us fully realize how much a long line of wall cabinets will limit the studio's usable wall space, and we need open wall space to pin up conceptual designs and presentations for clients. We also would like to show artwork at various times, so we are going to eliminate the wall cabinets and just start out with base cabinets. We do, however, like the concept of a grey/black/white separation wall to screen the workshop.

Now we begin the hard work of cutting and installing countertops and building desks and cabinetry.

Kitchen Installation - Part I

2011-08-07T14:25:00.000-07:00

After some months, the office kitchen has taken shape. The main function of this loft is that of an architecture-studio. The kitchen, therefore, has to be on the ground level away from the upper-level private quarters because it will be used by employees and serve as a design showcase and entertainment area for visiting clients. The area under the loft staircase was chosen because it forms a natural alcove, is not in the way of the space designated for the office work space and is along the same wall as existing drain lines at the front of the loft. The first step in building the kitchen was bringing water and electricity to the area. We designed the kitchen layout and marked the final cabinet measurements on the wall to serve as reference points for placing the new water lines, drains, and electrical outlets.

Copper Water Pipes, Cast Iron Drain & Electrical Conduit

The second step was building a new wall/alcove perpendicular to the main wall to serve as a place for the refrigerator to rest against and as a visual boundary of the kitchen area. The alcove had to be a very specific width to accommodate the refrigerator, the required airspaces at the top and sides of the fridge, and the tall cabinets that would frame the fridge. Since we didn't have the fridge or cabinets yet it was important to consult the manufacturers' cut-sheets for exact measurements. The width of the drywall also had to be kept in mind when we set up the steel framing, otherwise the alcove would have been too narrow once the drywall and mud was on.

New Fridge Alcove Walls (Ctr)
Plumbing and Electrical on Left

With the completion of the walls around the new kitchen area, we were ready to install the fire-engine red cabinets. While the choice of cabinets and appliances seriously strained the firm's budget, we felt it was a necessary business expense. The architecture studio is intended to showcase the firm's design sensibilities as well as display different kinds of materials, casework, and modern appliances. We need clients to be interested and inspired, and kitchens generate a lot of interest because they are a central gathering spot associated with entertainment and comfort. An architecture firm's need to exhibit examples of design sensibility as well as the business need to host gatherings, talks, and various client functions where appetizers and drinks will be served means a showpiece kitchen is a necessary part of our business. It is the main trade fixture expense we have incurred thus far, although we were able to negotiate trade discounts for various of the materials and appliances.

Cabinets After Installation.
Countertops & Island Siding Remain to be Done

The modern, red, glossy cabinets are eye-catching and have a commercial look that blends into a professional office environment. We designed the kitchen so that the components can be easily dismantled and removed, and the electrical and water lines are surface-mounted to avoid causing damage to the existing structure.

Office Micro (Top) and Small Oven

The next step is to install the counter tops, backsplashes, facing materials, sink, cooktop and exhaust hood.

How to Rescue a Cat from an Industrial Catwalk

2011-07-23T17:53:00.000-07:00

Industrial loft buildings contain all sorts of strange nooks, giant pipes, and random ledges left over from the original factory or warehouse. The building where our loft is located is connected to the adjacent four-story building by an industrial catwalk. Under the catwalk are a variety of huge cast-iron pipes used for water supply and drainage.

The Catwalk

For several days last week, we could hear the plaintive meowing of a cat. Despite investigating, we couldn't locate the cat. It turned out we couldn't find it because it was four stories above us stuck on top of a pipe under the catwalk. On the third day, someone realized where the cat was and called animal control. An attempt was made to use someone's boom lift to reach the cat, but it couldn't reach high enough. So the animal control officer called in a special team that is intended for just such a scenario - the Los Angeles Small Animal Rescue Team (SmART). The SmART team is an amazing group of volunteers from the Animal Control division who are trained in rescuing animals from difficult and precarious situations such as cliffs, trees, sewers, and swiftwater.

The SmART Team

The SmART team arrived in a special van filled with all manner of rescue equipment. Because the cat was four stories up and unreachable from the surface of the catwalk, the team donned their rappelling gear complete with harnesses, helmets, ropes, carabiners, and orange rescue bags for storing the animal during the rope descent. A crowd gathered as night fell. The rescue team gathered on the catwalk and anchored themselves for the descent. Two team members, Annette and Sean, rappelled off the sides of the catwalk and positioned themselves on either side of the pipes. The cat began to meow ever louder as they approached and, when Annette called it towards her, it complied. Getting the cat into the bag, however, was not as easy since even a desperate cat fears the thought of a four-story drop. Finally, the cat was pried off the pipes, cinched it into the bag, and the rescuers lowered themselves to the ground to much applause. The cat was taken to the local animal shelter for rehydration and we were warned someone would need to claim the cat within 5 days. Fortunately for the cat, Spike, her owner was found and he retrieved her the next afternoon.

The Catwalk Rescue
Photo Credit: Vern Evans

Team Members After the Rescue
Annette (right) Got the Cat in the Bag

So, if you live in Los Angeles and need help rescuing a small animal from a precarious situation, the SmART team is the team to call. They are a fantastic group of people from the Animal Services division who volunteer to do this tough side job. They don't get hazard pay for putting themselves at risk and they pay for all the special equipment themselves. The service is entirely FREE, and there is always need for donations of rescue gear to help them do their job.

Click here for List of Items Needed

See photos of the entire rescue, and learn more about the SmART team, on their facebook page. You can also follow them on Twitter.

Putting Up Walls - Drywall and Mud

2011-07-10T16:44:00.000-07:00

Putting up walls is relatively easy during the framing phase if you are handy with a screw gun. But the drywall phase that comes after has to be one of the hardest and time-consuming parts of DIY construction. We have erected four sectors of walls: (1) the studio restroom and broom closet (2) the office storage room which on one end forms a kitchen wall (3) the wall that forms a laundry cubby and also serves as a TV/stereo wall for the living area, and (4) the upstairs sound wall/storage closet.

During the framing and drywall phase we were lucky to have the help of a friend who is a commercial framer. We also reused all the steel studs we salvaged from demolishing the existing broom closet and bathroom. We also found surplus insulation leftover from a jobsite that we purchased at a steep discount because it was damp from being left out in the rain. We bought 3 bales for $30 dollars, which would have cost over $200 new. Because fiberglass is inherently resistant to mold, all we had to do was open the bags and let the insulation dry out. We had to make multiple trips to the building supply store to buy more studs, sheets of drywall, drywall mud and knives, sanding poles, end caps, and doors. Putting up the walls ended up being a particularly expensive phase, in part because we paid for outside labor. Commercial steel framing requires attaching a steel track to the floor and ceiling by using a special gun equipped with .27 caliber blasting caps to shoot nails through the track and into the concrete. Special laser levels, tin snips, and vise grips make the job go much faster. We decided it was worth it to hire a professional who already had all the specialty tools and who was better than we were at laying track on the ceiling and cutting drywall to fit into odd-shaped spaces.

Even with our friend's help on the weekends, the walls have taken a month and a half to be framed, covered in drywall and mudded. We are now at the end of the mudding phase, which involves sealing the seams of the drywall with mesh tape, sealing the inside corners of the walls with paper tape, sealing the outside corners with metal corner strips, covering all these with four coats of joint compound and sanding between each coat. Drywall sanding requires repeatedly sanding the walls from floor to ceiling, dispersing a fine powder that travels all over the room and settles on all surfaces. It is necessary to wear cumbersome filtration masks and sometimes eye protection.

Our hard work is finally paying off as the final layout of the loft begins to take shape. The downstairs restroom, which used to be an oddly shaped room with an maladjusted door, is now a clean cube with two extra-tall doors, the tops of which align with the adjacent windows.

Restroom Before (Trapezoidal, No Ceiling, Door on West)

Restroom After (Rectangular, Doors on South)

The area that used to be the "kitchen" in the mezzanine is now a laundry cubby. The other side of the cubby wall will house a small entertainment center. The open area between the bathroom and the closet is walled off, ensuring total privacy.

Original Upper Level "Kitchen"

Framing Going Up for Laundy Area

Laundry Nook Completed, New Privacy Door at Rt

The mess of pipes that prevented the proper placement of a bed in the sleeping area is now a sound wall that buffers noise from the adjacent loft, allows us to place a bed against it, and creates a long storage closet.

Mezzanine Ceiling Pipes Before

Framing Up to Form Sound Wall

Sound Wall Complete, New Electrical

The next phase is painting the walls. Then we can install the kitchen, put away clutter in the storage room, and fine tune the space planning.

Featured Loft - The Sandman's Space

2011-06-28T12:04:00.000-07:00

Industrial lofts generally require some kind of intervention in order to make them serve their new purpose. In the case of this loft, art is the main intervention. Prominent and colorful sculptures dictate the layout of the loft and dictate the observer's perception of the space. The overall impression is that of a surreal art gallery - private living quarters are unseen to the casual observer. Not only does the art define the space, it creates a truly memorable work/live environment.

"Sandman" is the artist alter ego of Sean Sobczak. Sean is a gifted sculptor who creates ethereal, large-scale sculptures of undersea creatures and mythical beasts. They are made of intricately welded wire-frames covered in hand-sewn fabrics infused with twinkling lights. Because of their size, Sandman needed a space large enough to both store the sculptures and house the workshop necessary to build them. His loft, located in downtown Los Angeles in a brick and concrete building formerly used as a bottling factory, is 3000 sqft. and is comprised of a large main room and gallery as well as two bedrooms and a bathroom located in the rear of the long, rectangular space.

When Sandman moved into the loft, he needed a large space appropriate for working on and displaying his sculptures, so he removed two existing walls near the front entrance. He also added a wall in the rear of the loft to form a second bedroom, which enables him to have guests and roommates. He built floor-to-ceiling shelving in one corner of the loft to store his large stock of fabric rolls and materials.

Giant Octopus at Left of Entry (storage space behind)

The open floor plan allows Sandman to use one side of the loft as a workshop and the other side as a gallery/socializing space. The socializing space is defined by two couches and coffee table placed towards the center of the room and supported on one side by smaller-scale sculptures. The kitchen area is defined by a long counter top and leads to the workshop space. The private bedrooms are accessed through an inconspicuous door in the rear of the loft, between the socializing area and the kitchen.

Living Area Framed by Sculptures

View at Roll-up Door (Workshop to the left)

The loft has two means of ingress/egress and they are both located at one end of the loft - a door accessible from a hallway and a roll-up garage door opening onto a driveway and parking area. In order to let natural light and air into the space, the roll-up door is opened, revealing the gallery space to the public space outside.

View Looking Into Loft from Parking Area

View Looking out of Loft

As people drive or walk past, they see a sculpture of a large dragon that appears ready to leap out of the loft. Visitors who walk past or into the loft see all manner of giant sea creatures floating through the space and dragonflies hovering against the high ceiling. The size and multitude of luminescent and surreal forms creates a sense of being underwater or in an aquarium. In this case, the usual experience of an industrial loft is radically redefined by the art, making the art the main intervention in terms of defining a visitor's perception of the space.

Area: 3000 sq ft
Pros: Storage
Cons: Dust from nearby train yard

Progress

2011-06-06T18:36:00.000-07:00

Progress - its the first word I hear lately from most people that look in on us while we build out our space. The majority of the light gauge steel framing is done. A good amount drywall is up, doors are hung, plumbing and electrical systems are up and operating. Unfortunately, the general aesthetic is still that of a construction zone. Materials are stacked against the wall, ready to be installed. Tools are arranged for easy access on temporary work surfaces. Extension cords suspended from sprinkler pipes provide temporary power to spaces where the electrical work has not been completed.

Office bathroom has framing, plumbing, electricity

However, there is a sense of order that is becoming apparent. The walls that are up may not be completed yet, but they are starting to define the spaces that have been carved out of the cavernous expanses. It is becoming less difficult to visualize how the spaces will work - I am not having to describe what will be since the place is starting to speak for itself. It is my hope that eventually, the space will be so intuitive, that there will be no explanation whatsoever required. One will see, then they will know. We are definitely not at that stage yet. Images of the space may make one think that there is some sort of progress that has been accomplished, but the design is still in its infancy and it is still an abstract arrangement of partially completed construction.

New wall defines kitchen, storage and workshop

New walls define laundry cubby and private bath

Since the overall look of the space is still very raw, we thought it would be a good time to start with a series of featured lofts. Raw urban spaces like the one we occupy that have been transformed into vibrant cleverly designed spaces. We aspire to reach the level that these spaces have attained and are inspired by their visual continuity and aesthetic appeal. So instead of showing you images of the construction debris and dust that currently occupies our space, we would like to show you what is possible when you have been granted the latitude to design in an urban loft. Check back in a couple of days to see our first featured space.

Kitchen Design

2011-05-31T20:01:00.000-07:00

Situating the Kitchen

Designing a kitchen from scratch is not as easy as you'd think. In a loft, there is the matter of where to situate it. In our loft, we want the kitchen on the ground floor so as to maximize our 2nd level mezzanine living space and to allow for employee use and business entertaining. While the ground level is spacious, we don't want the kitchen to impede foot traffic to the stairs or through the work space. We also don't want to take away from the open work space where we plan to place desks and conference areas. We could place the kitchen at the very back of the loft, but a kitchen has such potential to be a visually exciting showcase for design skills that we decided to place it halfway towards the entrance to the loft where clients can see it. The only space that met all these requirements happened to be practically under the staircase. To make things more difficult, 10 feet or so away from the underside of staircase is a giant concrete column. So we must figure out how to shoehorn a nice kitchen between the staircase and the column. There are several configurations that will work, but the elements that are fixed are the slim, horizontal upper cabinets, a large island for employees and guests to sit at, and an absence of walls other than a wall for the fridge to rest against.

The Design Inspiration

In our view, an architecture studio should be an open space plan and showcase design elements that illustrate the architect's familiarity with cutting-edge style and technology. This means staying away from traditional-looking cabinet styles, hardware and appliances. In our opinion, "modern" styles tend towards the shiny, sleek, and techno-looking - often incorporating alternative materials and unexpected, bold colors and textures. There are sources of inspiration to be found in magazines such as Metropolis, Dwell, Architect, etc. These sources provide ideas and guidance, but the ultimate look is up to us. After days of racking our brains to choose a look, we finally decided to take a cue from some of our favorite utilitarian items - things that we use all the time that we love the look of. After we gathered these items together we discovered that they all had major design elements in common.

Our first favorite item is our shiny red pepper grinder with chrome tightening nut.

The second item is our shiny, red tea kettle with chrome and black handle.

The third is the trusty red, black and silver Milwaukee impact driver that has helped us put up steel framing and drywall.

The last item is our awesome, red, black and stainless steel Craftsman tool chest.

Shiny, Red & Black

So, it is decided that our kitchen design will incorporate shininess, red, black and stainless steel. It just so happens that modern European kitchen designs often feature glossy, red cabinets. And there are some cool, black sinks, faucets, and phenolic resin countertops available. The countertops are the same as those found in high school chemistry labs, which is unexpected and fun. There will literally be a price to pay for not choosing traditional cabinetry and appliances. But we love to cook and entertain and believe an architecture studio should be held to a higher standard in order to showcase the architect's design sense. So we choose this approach knowing it is quite likely to bust our budget but also knowing that it will have been a worthy attempt.

New Cast Iron Plumbing

2011-05-21T12:02:00.002-07:00

Industrial lofts are commercial buildings and have different plumbing and electrical standards than residential buildings. In a house, the drain pipes are often black plastic (ABS) that can be cut with a hacksaw and connected with pipe cement. In a commercial building, however, the California building code requires cast iron drain pipes.

Since we are plumbing a new bathroom and kitchen on the ground floor of our loft, we need to use cast iron, but we lack the appropriate tools and experience. So we sought the help of an experienced commercial plumber.

How is cast iron cut to length? Amazingly, it is snapped with a chain! The simple and clever tool used for this purpose is called a "snap cutter." The pipe is marked where it needs to be cut, the chain is wrapped around the pipe with its special raised links sitting on the mark and the chain is then tightened with a ratcheting action. After a few cranks, the pipe suddenly snaps in a clean break, shooting a foot or two across the floor.

Pipe Snap Cutter

To connect two lengths of cast iron together, no pipe cement is used. Rather, a rubber coupler sleeve with a metal strap jacket is use to connect the two ends together and seal them shut against leaks.

Pipe Coupler

Since we are retrofitting the cast iron plumbing, we are surface mounting the pipes and need a system to hold the pipes in place against the wall to maintain the proper drainage slope and eliminate movement. We are using Uni-struts - load-bearing channels that attach to the metal studs in the wall with screws. Our Uni-struts were cut in one foot lengths to carry several pipes at once. In our case, they carry the copper water lines that bring water in, and the cast iron that drains graywater out. The copper pipes are wrapped in a felt sleeve before they are attached to the Uni-strut because two dissimilar metals will corrode when left in contact. The felt protects the copper from the galvanized steel. The cast iron and Uni-strut are both iron-based, so they don't need a felt buffer.

Uni-Strut

We now have over 50 feet of new pipe running along one side of the loft to service the bathroom and kitchen. We could paint it to match the walls, but we are planning to cover it with a long run of cabinets that will serve as a place to store office supplies as well as display artwork.

The Space Plan (Part 1)

2011-05-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

After spending a bit of time in our industrial loft, it became relatively easy to determine which existing uses of space worked and which ones did not. Our loft has a downstairs and an upstairs. Because we intend to use the loft as an architecture studio that clients can visit and employees can work in we will use the downstairs as a work space and the upstairs as a live space. In order to do that, we need to correct the existing conditions.

Kitchen

When we moved into the loft, it had a "kitchenette" upstairs in the mezzanine. The mezzanine is the logical living quarters of the loft because the difference in elevation creates a naturally separate zone that can be made private, and the stairs form a control point/barrier against inadvertent intrusion by clients. The kitchenette, however, poses a problem because we don't want to share our sleeping quarters with a kitchen and we like to entertain people but prefer to not to have guests in a zone as personal as our bedroom. In addition, I need a kitchen for my employees. So the kitchen needs to be relocated away from the mezzanine and placed downstairs. Since I don't want it to overwhelm the workspace by being the main focal point, I am placing the kitchen under the natural alcove formed by the stairs where it can still be seen and be close to a dining zone away from the work stations. Below you can see the new walls I'm building in grey.

Visitor/Employee Restroom

One major problem posed by our loft layout is that the restroom is upstairs. We don't want clients and employees walking through our bedroom to use the toilet. One reason we chose this loft was that we happened to notice an existing toilet drain on the ground floor near the entrance and nearby water pipes. After confirming that the water supply is connected and the drains still work, I hired a plumber experienced in working with cast iron (the commercial norm) to run new plumbing to the new downstairs toilet/sink and the relocated kitchen. Below you can see the framing for the restroom and the broom closet. To the right is the new cast iron and copper plumbing; the copper and valves are for the bathroom sink and the copper then runs to the right to the new kitchen. The cast iron drains the kitchen and bathroom sinks - the higher level pipe is the vent pipe that goes to the roof.

Laundry

The mezzanine kitchenette we're removing has existing water lines and 220 volt power. Since we'd like our own laundry room, the area is the logical place to locate a washer and dryer. In addition, by locating a laundry nook upstairs, it will not only be close to our closet and clothes hamper, it will not be distracting or out of place in the work space if we wash clothes during work hours. To make the laundry nook, I am using the light gauge steel framing I salvaged from demolishing the wall downstairs. Below you can see the existing "kitchen sink" with the future laundry nook wall framing going up.

Bedroom Wall

The mezzanine has a big column on one side, so the bed has to go somewhere on the other side. The problem is, there are three big pipes running across the entire length of the other side. We like to call them "headbangers" because when you get in and out of bed, especially in the dark, you can crack your skull against them. So we're going to build a wall in front of the pipes to set the head of the bed against. We're leaving one big cast iron pipe exposed to express the industrial nature of the loft. We're going to put an access door in the wall for storage and access to the pipes in the event maintenance is required. As a major added bonus, the wall will form a sound attenuation barrier which will block noise from our neighbor who sometimes has to build movie sets at night. Below are the bedroom pipes before and after the wall framing.

Closet

The last thing that we needed to address was the area in the mezzanine between the closet and the bathroom. Sometimes when a person showers or dresses, they move from one zone to another. In a private home it's not a big deal, but in a work/live loft where a couple lives and where employees and clients may be present, it's not only potentially embarrassing to be seen in a state of undress, it's unprofessional. I am building a wall connecting the bathroom and closet areas so we can move freely between them and not worry about being seen.

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Heavy Metal (Dismantling 1 Ton of Steel)

2011-05-06T17:23:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder how to lower steel beams without killing yourself? I did, because there was a big steel structure in the entryway of our loft and I wanted to dismantle it. It created a diagonal break in the space that interfered with my space plan. It was built by a prior tenant and was not load-bearing, so removal won't affect the loft's structural integrity. However, lowering wide-flange steel beams that are 13 feet up in the air is not an easy proposition for a one-man team. The beams are W8x13 and are each 22 feet long. There are also 6 tube steel columns and 9 struts. In total, the steel I had to move weighed almost one ton.

A job like this calls for a hoist, or some sort of Medieval pulley system. I decided to use a Contractor's Superlift - a telescoping hoist that allows one person to lift and lower big, heavy things.

First I unbolted and removed the struts - some had welded connections at the beams and required cutting with a carborundum-blade grinder. To dismantle the beams, I cranked the Superlift up to support the beam from below, then I unbolted them from the columns. Once they were unbolted, I cranked the lift arm up, moved the beam off the column, and lowered it to the ground.

The columns were more difficult because they were bolted to the floor. The bolts required me to lift the columns up and off the bolts, like a Scottish log thrower, which was not easy because the columns were up to 14 feet tall. The job took 6 hours and required a 20' extension ladder, angle grinder, sawzall, hammer, and socket wrenches. When I was done, I had 1 ton of steel scrap and a newly open floorspace to work with.

Final Stats

Cost: Ratchet, 24mm&27mm Sockets, 8" Socket Extension = $45

10" & 12" Crescent Wrenches = $26

4" Carborundum Blade = $2.50

20' Extension Ladder = $160

Difficulty: Hard (requires strength, poses danger)

Searching for Context

2011-04-29T15:17:00.000-07:00

Architects have a process. Part of my process is to familiarize myself with the surroundings of a project's site. As a transplant from Orange County, I felt it was important to familiarize myself with my loft's surroundings in the industrial part of Los Angeles. I wanted to get a feel for both the built and natural environment, so after some research, I figured that a run around nearby Elysian Park would give me an ideal perspective. I plotted a seven-mile course that would take me over the Los Angeles River to the park which occupies a hill and is also the home to Dodger Stadium.

On the way to the park I ran through a very industrial area that was bit intimidating to navigate by foot due to the lack of crosswalks and the ever present automobile traffic, but I soon started to notice a continuity to the overall look and feel of the place. The cars, bicycles, pedestrians, trucks, trains, all seemed to be choreographed. People driving waited patiently for pedestrians and bicycles and seemed much calmer than their Orange County counterparts. Large trucks would take up the whole intersection just to make a turn, but somehow they did so in such a fluid manner that it did not impede the flow of the congested streets.

Eventually I got to the park and was able to navigate over a dirt trail through a quirky mix of native plant species intermingled with palm trees to the top of the hill overlooking the river and the 5 freeway. I could now see the fabric of the city unfold itself in front of me as a dense, vibrant composition of old and new buildings teeming with activity.

The colors, massing and density of the city are going to inform my selection of colors and materials for the interior of the loft. I want the loft to relate to its industrial environment and feel like it meshes with the local character. The New Urbanist in me won't let me forget that architecture should mean something, and to do so, it should take cues from the local vernacular, cultural history, natural environment, and local climate. I believe people want to relate to their built environment, take ownership of it, and feel like they belong in a community. They do not want feel isolated in buildings that they can not relate to or that disconnect them from their surroundings.

The imagery I see on these runs through the city will be stored in my mental database and have a big influence on the way I design not only the loft, but all the architecture projects that I will be doing in Los Angeles.

Demolition Time

2011-04-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

There's an unnecessary wall forming a broom closet in the loft entry area that we want to remove. It is dark, cramped and takes up space so it has to go. It's constructed of light gauge steel framing covered with drywall on one side.

As an architect, I am always focusing on building things. But it's a nice change of pace to reverse the process. When I first became involved in construction 25 years ago I always looked forward to tearing things down, but the process of smashing things was not only messy and dangerous, it created a huge amount of waste that had to go to the landfill. I soon learned how to dismantle instead of destroy. I still was able to bring walls down, but by utilizing a "sane" approach of systematically dismantling construction assemblies, I not only did the same amount of work in the same amount of time (due to less clean-up), I was able to harvest materials that could be re-purposed for other projects. I plan on building new walls in the loft and, since we want to save as much money as possible, the unused closet should yield a fair amount of reusable material.

The drywall is connected to the framing with self-tapping screws. It is nearly impossible to locate the screws on the finished surface to back them out with a screwdriver, so I will use a different technique. By cutting the drywall with a utility knife along one end of the wall and and knocking out a small hole for a hand-hold with a hammer, I am able to pull the drywall away from the studs. The screws stay attached to the studs, leaving small holes on the back of the drywall. This does disfigure the back of the panel, but leaves the face relatively unblemished.

Once the drywall is removed, the "zippies," - small self-tapping screws that hold the metal frame together - are backed out with a screw gun. After the whole assembly is dismantled, I unscrew the drywall screws from the studs.

From start to finish, it took 4 hours to remove the wall, strip the materials into component parts, and clean up. In the end, I have about 4 sheets of gypsum board, 16: 10' steel studs and tracks, and about a pound and a half of drywall and zippy screws I can reuse to build a new wall somewhere else in the loft. I also harvested 5 junction boxes, 20 feet of flexible metal conduit, assorted light switches, wire, electrical outlets and a PA speaker with a spider living inside. The waste was minimal.

The estimated value of comparable new materials - $200. And I don't have to make a trip to the hardware store when I build a wall later.

Temporary Solution - Walk-In Closet

2011-04-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

Need a quick closet? Have big pipes running through your loft? Check the pipe strength first - ours were cast iron supported by pipe hangers designed for the plumbing of an industrial building. They are designed to carry a much greater load than our clothes. So, we took old galvanized pipe we'd been hanging onto, cut it into clothes pole length using a disc grinder with a carborundum blade (safety glasses absolutely required), and suspended them from the loft pipes using chains. For shelving, we bought 2 suspension rails, 10 steel brackets, and 5 shelves from a local store. Now we have a decent walk-in closet that will suffice until we build something better and we only had to make 4 screw holes in the wall. We can always re-use the shelving system for other needs and in other configurations.

Final Stats

Cost: Shelving System = $120

Chain = 8 feet for $5

Pipe = Reused $0
Difficulty: Easy (Moderate if you have to cut pipe and chain)

Things You'll Notice When You Move Into Your Loft

2011-04-18T17:38:00.000-07:00

No Storage

The first thing you'll notice, which you may not have truly noticed when you first saw the loft, is the lack of built-in storage. Be prepared to live out of boxes for a while, rooting around for your pants and stacking the important things you find into piles. If you brought the "this might come in handy one day" junk from your old house, it will be part of the decor until you build something to put it in or finally put it by the dumpster for a neighbor to take. If you had notions that you'd be unpacked in a week and your friends could come over to check out your cool new pad, you thought wrong.

No Walls

Aside from the walls separating your loft from the neighbors and the walls around the bathroom, there may not be any other walls. So your dining room, living room, bedroom and kitchen are one big space until you make separation walls. Think of it as "the great room."

No Kitchen
If you like to cook, you'll notice there is nothing that qualifies as a kitchen. It's up to you to install what you need to store your food and cook it on. And if your loft doesn't come with an oven, you'll go without one until you buy it and install the 220 line to the area you designate as your kitchen. Until then, it's portable burners, the toaster oven and a microwave. On a table. Connected to a power strip with a big reset button for when the circuit breaks.

Noises

Industrial buildings are echoey and make clanking sounds. The artiste next to you may have a rolling cart of paints he rolls around the room. You can hear it. The girl above you may dance for a living and her high heels tap all the way across the ceiling when she comes home at night. The pipes that drain everyone's bathwater run right through your living space. When water rushes through them, you can hear it. But these aren't unpleasant sounds -- they make the building feel alive. And you're in its belly.

Moving into an Industrial Loft

2011-04-17T21:30:00.000-07:00

I'm an architect setting up an architecture practice in an industrial loft in downtown Los Angeles. My wife is brave enough to join me in this venture wherein we attempt to transform a raw, empty space into not only a business but also a place we can call home. The major advantage to living in a work/live loft is that the work commute is only 15 steps. The disadvantage is it requires effort to separate the 'working' zone from the 'living' zone in order to maintain privacy. The goal is to create an space conducive to a professional office environment where we feel comfortable and happy living. This blog will document our attempt to create a comfortable, habitable work and live space. For every problem encountered there should be a solution, and this blog aims to provide solutions both cheap and spendy, easy and hard.

The reason we chose a loft was because we felt we could only live in LA if we didn't have to battle the freeways every day commuting to work, so we decided to combine our work and live spaces. A loft makes sense for not only logistical reasons, but financial reasons. Setting up an architectural practice in this economy means making every penny count. We start with a fixed budget of $50,000.00 for rent, utilities and improvements. Let's see where that gets us.