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Collection by Kate Santos

From Abandoned Factories to Modern Homes

Open space, high ceilings and sizable square footage make the bones of an abandoned building the perfect template for transforming into a modern home. Environmentally-friendly and easy on the budget, the post-industrial era is a blank canvas opportunity for these architects.

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A carpet of custom tile created by Navone punctuates a corridor on the first floor.
A carpet of custom tile created by Navone punctuates a corridor on the first floor.
The upper level of the 5,300-square-foot space is accessed via a slender stair with reclaimed-wood treads.
The upper level of the 5,300-square-foot space is accessed via a slender stair with reclaimed-wood treads.
The 3,767-square-foot apartment was carved out of a former cattle-fodder factory.
The 3,767-square-foot apartment was carved out of a former cattle-fodder factory.
Daughter Oona stands near the candy-striped wardrobe in the entryway.
Daughter Oona stands near the candy-striped wardrobe in the entryway.
A pair of interior architects with a years-in-the-making furniture collection recast an old Belgian factory as a playful family home. Photo by Frederik Vercruysse.
A pair of interior architects with a years-in-the-making furniture collection recast an old Belgian factory as a playful family home. Photo by Frederik Vercruysse.
Morten Bo Jensen, the chief designer at Vipp—whose headquarters are located in Islands Brygge—and his partner, graphic designer Kristina May Olsen, bought a loft space in the former Viking pencil factory in 2011. They bought the loft from its previous owner, one of five investors who purchased the circa-1910 factory building, roughly a decade ago, in a very raw state.
Morten Bo Jensen, the chief designer at Vipp—whose headquarters are located in Islands Brygge—and his partner, graphic designer Kristina May Olsen, bought a loft space in the former Viking pencil factory in 2011. They bought the loft from its previous owner, one of five investors who purchased the circa-1910 factory building, roughly a decade ago, in a very raw state.
In an up-and-coming area of Copenhagen, a pair of designers and their twin girls inhabit a converted loft, filling it with serious design savvy and a hefty dose of creativity. Photo by Anders Hviid
In an up-and-coming area of Copenhagen, a pair of designers and their twin girls inhabit a converted loft, filling it with serious design savvy and a hefty dose of creativity. Photo by Anders Hviid
The Viking Pencil Factory Loft's floorplan.
The Viking Pencil Factory Loft's floorplan.
The residence is located on Crosby Street, which is part of the landmarked SoHo Cast Iron Historic District. Once a manufacturing and industrial area then an artists' enclave, the neighborhood is now a retail hub. This particular loft used to be a light bulb factory, which informed the renovation's materiality. All of the natural light enters the apartment from the living room windows. 590BC worked with Tamara Eaton Design to furnish the interiors, which holds a mix of refined and rough-hewn pieces. A vintage Harry Bertoia chair holds court with a B&B Italia sofa, shag carpet by Shansom Rugs, steel side table from Global Views, and steel Arco coffee table from Room. Throw pillows upholstered in fabrics from Upstate, Maharam, and Romo add punches of color. Photo by Frank Oudeman.
The residence is located on Crosby Street, which is part of the landmarked SoHo Cast Iron Historic District. Once a manufacturing and industrial area then an artists' enclave, the neighborhood is now a retail hub. This particular loft used to be a light bulb factory, which informed the renovation's materiality. All of the natural light enters the apartment from the living room windows. 590BC worked with Tamara Eaton Design to furnish the interiors, which holds a mix of refined and rough-hewn pieces. A vintage Harry Bertoia chair holds court with a B&B Italia sofa, shag carpet by Shansom Rugs, steel side table from Global Views, and steel Arco coffee table from Room. Throw pillows upholstered in fabrics from Upstate, Maharam, and Romo add punches of color. Photo by Frank Oudeman.
The brick wall adjacent to the custom dining table by Brooklyn-based Uhuru Design is original to the structure. 590BC and its team spent months trying to find the right translucency for the whitewash covering the brick. "We call it the 'selective loft' because of the contrast of the refined materials and cabinetry against the industrial materials of this former light bulb factory," says Breitner. Photo by Frank Oudeman.
The brick wall adjacent to the custom dining table by Brooklyn-based Uhuru Design is original to the structure. 590BC and its team spent months trying to find the right translucency for the whitewash covering the brick. "We call it the 'selective loft' because of the contrast of the refined materials and cabinetry against the industrial materials of this former light bulb factory," says Breitner. Photo by Frank Oudeman.
Breitner advises playing with proportion when renovating long, narrow interiors. "It's not always better to open the plan up as much as possible," she says. "We found that creating spaces of familiar proportions helped the space to feel less narrow and made the rooms feel more livable."
Breitner advises playing with proportion when renovating long, narrow interiors. "It's not always better to open the plan up as much as possible," she says. "We found that creating spaces of familiar proportions helped the space to feel less narrow and made the rooms feel more livable."