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Mumbai-based architectural design firm Studio PKA designed The Loft in the SoBo district with the motive to receive natural light and be easily accessible by public transport. Spanning an area of 3,700 sq.ft, the studio was to be a functional epitome of cultural and artistic identity. It was fashioned out of a 100-year-old Victorian building with boarded-up windows, wooden trusses with metal bracings and non-load-bearing brick-wall cubicles segregating the zones from each other..

Today, the atrium features a skylight that allows natural light to filter in. It also houses the reception area, a formal meeting room fitted with clay tiles and a vertical backdrop framing the machine room atop the wooden elevator. Intersecting gabled roofs replace the wooden purlins, rafters and metal-clad trusses, resulting in extra spacing. Metal sections, windows, staircases, roofs, trusses, and the metal sections seamlessly connect the levels.

The use of natural material has contributed to the raw and stark nature of the space by recycling furniture such as discarded doors that have been rescued from demolished buildings. Light and cost-effective materials were preferred such as metal sections, wood, stone, cement blocks, and boards to complement the rustic essence of the space. On the other hand, the use of glass brings a welcome change in its transparency and depth. Envisioned as a multi-functional design, the studio is the perfect space to hold collaborative sessions, workshops, and exhibitions to bridge the gap between students and professionals.