The Art Loft

Located in a 1925 industrial building in Downtown Los Angeles’ Arts District, The Art Loft exemplifies AUX Architecture’s strategic approach to interior renovation. Designed as both residence and gallery for a client with an extensive contemporary art collection, the three-level loft finds opportunity within constraint. Working entirely within the existing envelope, our project transformed the loft’s light, circulation, and spatial experience.

A comprehensive interior renovation with a new kitchen, bathrooms, and custom furnishings, the project reflects AUX Architecture’s broader philosophy: engage existing conditions intelligently and value subtraction as much as addition. Existing partitions were removed to allow daylight to penetrate deep into the plan.

At the center of the 2,300-square-foot unit is a custom FSC-certified plywood screen that threads vertically through the space, wrapping the stair and visually connecting all three levels. The sculptural installation establishes a rhythmic language that functions simultaneously as anchor, organizer, and spatial filter. It shields the primary bedroom on the upper level while maintaining openness in the more public areas below. From certain viewpoints, the screen reads as a continuous surface with a gently undulating topography; from others, it dissolves into filigree, allowing light to pass through.

The screen was developed through parametric scripting, rapid prototyping, and full-scale mockups. Components were algorithmically nested for CNC milling to minimize material waste and assembly time, reinforcing the project’s commitment to sustainability.

Material choices emphasize warmth and tactility while referencing the building’s industrial origins: textured, white-stained French oak floors contrast with a precise aluminum-topped oak kitchen and refined bathroom finishes. Outdated systems were replaced with high-efficiency HVAC, LED lighting, low-flow plumbing fixtures, and low-VOC paints and sealants. Existing building infrastructure—pipes, ducts, and conduits—is intentionally exposed and painted black, creating a graphic counterpoint to the white walls and ceilings rather than being concealed.