notes
The Interlocking Puzzle Loft notches and interlocks various program elements into a tight assembly of volumes to maximize the amount of usable space.

The existing concrete vaulted ceiling of the loft has the undulating elevation of 11’-10” at the low point and 12’-3" at its high point. Stacking two full-height levels, therefore, was not an option. Instead, each volume is notched by a half-height element--either a closet or a sleeping platformand interlocked with another set of notched volumes in section. The resulting assembly forms three pairs of full-height volumes that are offset from each other, with two sleeping platforms and closets inserted above and below these intersecting pairs.

In plan, two sleeping platforms are similarly intersected by an L-shaped catwalk, hovering above the closets, to divide the upper level into two independent sleeping alcoves. The catwalk slips slightly past the kitchen to create a continuous visual flow from the living room to the entry foyer, while accentuating the distinct functions of each volume.

The color palette was deliberately muted by the limited number of materials. All of the horizontal surfaces and the catwalk were covered with maple wood, and the remaining vertical surfaces were painted white. A clear glass partition divides the sleeping area from the living room, without reducing the amount of natural light, which bounces off the light shelves over the windows to wash the vaulted ceiling in a soft glow, further supplemented by the recessed halogen lights below each vault.