The deformation of the meaning of loft structure over time and the search for a new concept

In the 18th century, the fact that artists and sculptors started to transform their studios into living spaces at the same time due to financial insufficiency was the main reason for the need for loft type housing. The first examples of loft type housing emerged with the transformation of old factory buildings or warehouse areas into living spaces over time. Thus, it has been possible to meet the needs of both working and living space in a single space, in a way that is cheap and appealing to multiple uses. In the thesis, primarily loft-type structures were tried to be defined and the spatial characteristics of the lofts were tried to be explained. In this direction, 5 basic criteria (Transformation, High ceiling, Free plan, Wide windows, Bare structure) that show whether a flat or building is a loft and distinguish it from other types are evaluated and explained. Loft spaces have undergone a shift in meaning with the changes in the needs and wishes of their users over time. This thesis aims to explain the main reasons for the semantic shift in loft structures and to discuss what kind of change has occurred in these structures today. With this semantic shift, the examples and number of loft type structures have increased over time. Various examples of these structures, which are the focus of attention of especially high-income customers, have been analyzed in the later parts of the thesis by scanning the relevant literature. Four of these examples are from abroad; Eight of them were taken domestically. Finally, a Turkish equivalent of the concept of loft, which has an English origin and has settled in our language as it is, has been derived and tried to be brought to the Turkish literature. Thus, the main purpose of the thesis will be fulfilled.