Lofts are a very simple concept. If you have limited floorspace, which is true for ALL college students, then if you put your bed close to the roof, you have space underneath to put more stuff. One bonus of having your own house, as TEP does, is that you can build lofts anywhere you want, so long as you get the approval of your brothers. Batman's History of Lofts provides a nice summary of what sort of lofts have been done at TEP. One of my lasting contributions to TEP is the Maximum Bondage(tm) Loft in 21 (which I partnered with Schtick to do), a project which took an entire work week to complete, but is sturdy as all heck.

Originally commercial buildings converted for residential use. Characterized by wide, open, airy space, most lofts have very high ceilings, huge windows and a unique design. Lofts rarely have a doorman. Many have private locked elevators and are located in downtown areas such as SOHO , Chelsea , Greenwich Village , Flatiron and Tribes. Lofts command very high prices.

The term implies apartments, condominiums or even offices that have been carved out of existing, older commercial buildings such as warehouses, factories, hospitals, schools or office buildings. These living spaces usually offer high ceilings (12' to 14´), minimum room partitioning to maintain an open, bright appearance, exposed ductwork, brick or timber beams and oversized windows. The term “soft lofts,” implies a more finished look, often white walls, industrial carpeting and more definition in room divisions. A benefit of such conversions is that they preserve the architectural character and heritage of the city's aging industrial and commercial districts.