Loft living has distinct advantages for wheelchair users: a single-floor plan, near total flexibility in layout, and a built-in elevator. But Brian Patrolia, the owner of this Boston loft, had more on his mind than just accessibility. “I try to work a couple of days a week at home,” says Patrolia, who works in health care quality research. And as a single person with an active social life, “I wanted something that would work well for entertaining.” Most of all, he says, “I was looking for something that was beautiful and well-designed.”Wheelchair accessibility was a must, “But I didn’t want that to be the primary feature.” That program dovetailed perfectly with architect Brad Walker’s approach. Walker had experience with both loft build-outs and accessibility standards, but he viewed Patrolia primarily as “just a client who was interested in good design.”
The starting point was a broad, horizontal slice of a new six-story condominium building in Boston’s South End. Walker inserted a diagonal partition that emphasizes the loft’s length and divides the space into public and private zones.A subtle ramp rises to Patrolia’s home office, which overlooks the living/dining area.A change of floor material (from stained wood to limestone tile), underscores the transition from public to private. Extensive builtin cabinetry, which includes a low-slung entertainment center and a wall-hung wardrobe, furthers the horizontal visual theme and puts storage at an accessible height. Closet rods pivot down for an easy reach.
Hinged doors are unwieldy for wheelchair users, so here there are only two: at the entrance and the common bath. The master bath’s door—paneled with a lightweight, translucent material—slides easily with a finger’s push. Inside, a wall-hung granite sink counter, a curbless shower, and lots of elbow room deliver ease of use with Modernist polish. An unobtrusive tiled recess by the toilet takes the place of a conventional grab-bar. The kitchen follows the same stylish program, with a double oven installed at eye level, easy-access single-drawer dishwashers, and upper cabinets fitted with pull-down shelves. Wheeled cabinets that nest below the counter act as mobile preparation and serving modules. A small aluminum bumper runs along the lower edge of the white maple cabinets, protecting them from the metal footrests of Patrolia’s wheelchair. Each of these common-sense details adds to the loft’s convenience quotient, but the biggest boon came from simply letting it be a loft. “The openness is a design issue,” Patrolia says,“but it also makes my life so much easier.”
Project Credits:
Builder: Sleeping Dog Properties, Boston; Architect: Ruhl Walker Architects, Boston; Living space: 1,700 square feet; Construction cost: Withheld; Photographer: Edua Wilde.
Resources:
Bathroom plumbing fixtures: Duravit, Kohler, and Vola; Cabinetry: C.W. Keller & Associates; Kitchen appliances: Fisher & Paykel, GE, Kitchen Aid, and Whirlpool; Lighting fixtures: Bega, ColorKinetic, Flos, Juno, Lightolier, and RSA; Paint: Benjamin Moore; Sliding door panel: Lumicore; Wall fabrics: Knoll.
