When Cabin Edit approached MSA about its Soho loft editing space, privacy was a top concern. With a client roster that includes some of the nation's most prolific artists and the nature of the work itself, enclosed work areas were critical. This need was balanced with a desire for natural light and communal open lounge areas.

To accomplish these tasks, each edit bay was laid out on the floor perimeter to allow either a skylight or a window. The bays encircled the common area in the middle of the loft. To bring light into these communal spaces, MSA enclosed the edit bays with fritted glass to achieve both transparency for light and work confidentiality.

The common open spaces were designed so that millwork helped zone the use of the individual spaces. To further create a sense of privacy, caning partitions isolated the lounge space where three small booths and custom L-shaped benches were placed for multiple groups to spend time in between editing sessions.

The editing company’s Californian origin influenced the design of its New York office; warmer dark wood, such as walnut, was used throughout the millwork while Venetian plaster was utilized on the walls and travertine on the kitchen countertops and backsplash. Custom curved frames for the wood and fritted glass walls added softness to the space in unexpected ways and were introduced on the bench sides to tie the spaces together.