As cities densify, architecture and the exterior spaces surrounding it are becoming more and more intertwined. In many urban environments, however, there is a gap between the quality of buildings and outdoor space – with the latter often lagging behind. 

At Loft Six Four we fill that gap by creating immersive rooftop amenities and outdoor living experiences. These outdoor spaces are designed to build harmony between the pieces of architecture within a city and their surrounding context. In doing so, such spaces provide unique value to the community.

We have one guiding philosophy: Focus on providing the user with an exceptional outdoor experience and elevate the quality of the surrounding urban spaces.

Establishing Metrics for Immersive Experiential Success

Creating immersive rooftop amenities and outdoor living experiences begins by establishing  specific metrics with our clients. While the right combination of metrics are unique to each client and project, this exercise always helps guide the design process toward the results that will have the greatest impact.

We classify each metric into one of three categories: People, Form, and Market.

The People category refers to the cultural aspects of the community and a focus on those who will be occupying the space.

Form refers to the physical characteristics of the space and a focus on an organized and aesthetic arrangement of space.

Market refers to the economic factors affecting the development with a focus on maximizing value and informing cost.

By staying true to the goals we set with our clients, we successfully execute on meaningful projects that matter.

Design for People

The designer and writer Frank Chimero said it best when he said, “People ignore design that ignores people.” That is why “People” is the first success metric that we focus on at Loft Six Four. 

We practice people-oriented design and consider universal design principles from cross disciplines including psychology, sociology and user-interface design. The aim is to create spaces that are comfortable and usable for people and instinctively make sense. The amount people use and appreciate a space is the primary way we measure the success of a project.

Just as each individual person is unique, we strive to make each of the spaces we design specifically distinct. By creating diverse spaces we access more of the human population and increase the likelihood that our design will resonate with someone. And when someone has a meaningful experience in an outdoor space that Loft Six Four has designed, we know we’ve done our jobs.

Purposeful Form

When talking design, there is an important distinction between materials and structure. We affirm that, while both are important, priority should always be given to the structure – or the organization – of a space.

If the form of a space is organized correctly the finish materials never make or break the overall design composition. On the other hand, if the thought and reasoning behind the layout of the space is neglected, no amount of deluxe finishes will be able to rescue it. 

We all know the popular modernist saying, “form ever follows function.” To the degree that the shape of a building or object should primarily relate to its intended function or purpose, yes it does. To us, however, that does not mean that ornamentation has no place in design – only that it plays a secondary role. After all, ornamentation, style, materials and art provide cultural richness and variation that build a project’s identity. These components of the design should be fitted to the structure of the space, not the other way around.

When considering form, we measure the success of a project by how well we were able to get to the main purpose of the space and translate it into physical reality. While certain materials can provide inspiration, the prevailing engine for design will always be the organization of space.

Market Success

We know how to manage high expectations and tight budget constraints. By considering cost at each phase, we avoid the pitfalls of under-estimating and ensure our clients get high value with few surprises.

We monitor general market conditions as well as specific construction costs to ensure our budgets are accurate. This allows us to predict with reasonable certainty the cost of our scope. In addition, we look for innovative products and up-and-coming product suppliers that lower costs while retaining quality. Our ever-growing list of qualified specialty contractors can execute our custom design elements at a competitive price.

Our design work is about improving peoples’ lives while also improving our developer clients’ bottom line. We measure the success of a project by our ability to create rooftop and outdoor living experiences that increase the market value of each property.

The Loft Six Four Difference

With a focus on creating immersive rooftop and outdoor living experiences, Loft Six Four contributes to success in measurable ways. The categorized metrics of People, Form, and Market ensure each project adds unique value to the fabric of the city.

Interested in how to make the rooftop and outdoor amenities at your next project more immersive? See how our metrics guided the way to measurable success for an unlikely downtown mid-rise.