Architect Andrew Franz transformed the top floor and roof of a late 18th century former soap warehouse into an eclectic loft in Tribeca, an area of Manhattan, New York. Franz reorganized and modernized the six-story building—which retains its original 16-foot beam ceilings, brick walls, timber columns, and elevator winches from the former freight shaft—by incorporating steel, glass, handmade tile, and lacquer to complement the masonry and heavy timber.

The residence was reconceived to offer open entertaining zones and a fluid connection to the outdoors. A relocated mezzanine allows for direct access to the roof terrace above, and features an interior courtyard with a retractable glass roof. Embracing the building’s industrial past, a visual discourse between new and old is devised through insertions of modern materials along with restored or reclaimed materials.

An inverted courtyard unifies the interior space, which is topped by an expansive 150-square-foot retractable skylight adjacent to a lush roof deck overlooking the Hudson River and lower Manhattan. An interior courtyard and rectangular mezzanine are situated below the original 16-foot gull-wing ceiling planes. Reclaimed wood, new built-ins, and midcentury antiques complement the old brick and timber.

Photos: Albert Vecerka/Esto