The New York City loft has become a tradition. It is possible to look back at the evolution of the loft as an architectural type that has influenced the whole concept of the New York apartment dwelling, particularly the nature of its space. Large areas of urban blocks containing a huge variety of warehousing have been transformed by innovative design, providing the pattern for the architectural Manhattan loft. The central discipline of the Manhattan loft lies in the handling of space and material elements, the common theme being openness This book presents a critical review of ten architects work. The lofts reveal a developing modernity - based on a flexible spatial content - which is not about fashion, but is instead concerned with a sense of rooted settlement and the restorative values of ordered space and light within the basic structure of a personal retreat. At first sight these lofts are all very different; some are minimalist, others more opulent and sophisticated. But what is common throughout is that they have been conceived within the pluralistic framework of the modern architectural tradition.