Industrial heritage, once central to urban growth and economic prosperity, is now often neglected and underused. Around the world, various factories, mills, and warehouses sit abandoned, and their distinctive structures fall into disuse. These buildings were typically constructed from materials such as brick, steel, concrete, and large glass windows. Known for their strength and longevity, these materials make the structures ideal candidates for refurbishment, maintaining structural integrity.
In today’s climate crisis, refurbishing these industrial heritage landmarks is often the more sustainable and cost-effective design solution. By reimagining these spaces, designers can brainstorm new modes of work that emphasize collaboration, flexibility, respect for heritage, and creativity. This curated collection explores five modern workspaces that were designed in refurbished industrial structures, exploring the revitalization of these buildings and the modern workforce. Whether it is an old Sugar Factory warehouse conversion in Lisbon or a former cotton mill in Dunkirk, these new workspaces reimagine industrial relics into vibrant hubs of modern work.
Read on to discover five projects that reimagine industrial heritage sites into office spaces.
Energeticon Alsdorf / Böll Architekten
Alsdorf, Germany
Following the end of commercial mining in Alsdorf, the centrally-located industrial premises of this coal mine was transformed into a residential and commercial area. The refurbishment projepct focused on adaptive reuse, converting the mine’s blacksmith and change & washroom buildings into a modern office space. The design aimed to retain historical essence while integrating contemporary features as modern extensions.
Wentz Furniture Studio / Marina Miot Arquitetura
Caxias Do Sul, Brazil
The Wentz project, designed by architect Marina Miot, transforms a 1940s industrial pavilion in Caxias do Sul into a contemporary office space for a Brazilian furniture brand. The restoration focused on preserving the original architecture, including walls, facades, and roof trusses, while introducing modern elements like large white volumes and glass walls to enhance natural light. Connecting the space’s diverse function, a central glass volume was designed to house workstations.
The Refinery at Domino / PAU - Practice for Architecture and Urbanism
Brooklyn, United States
The adaptive reuse of the Domino Sugar Refinery by PAU transforms the historic industrial landmark in Brooklyn into a neighborhood centerpiece. Preserving its original architect, the design nests a new building within the existing shell, separated by a 12-foot gap. This approach achieves ideal floor heights and maximizes natural light while maintaining the views of Manhattan. The new design aims to blend history with modern functionality for a creative office space and community facility.
Old Mill Rigot Refurbishment / Coldefy & Associés Architectes Urbanistes
Dunkerque, France
The renovation of a former 1928 cotton mill in Dunkirk has transformed the abandoned building into a contemporary co-working space, including workrooms, a conference area, a micro-nursery, and a cafeteria. Preserving the original building’s architectural integrity, the new design adds two ground-floor extensions that connect the building to the town and a new urban green space. Inside, the design highlights the contrast between the original raw materials and the new refined ones to showcase the heritage in a contemporary manner.
Cidade BI4ALL Offices / Pedra Líquida
Lisbon, Portugal
This project is an industrial reconversion project in East Lisbon, transforming two old Sugar Factory warehouses into an urban cluster for an IT services company. The design maintains the original volumetry, reinforcing the spaciousness with self-supporting metallic structures. In Warehouse A, an open workspace plan with offices, meeting rooms, and auditoriums is located. Warehouse B includes an industrial kitchen, leisure areas, and studio apartments. The project aims to reimagine work habits in a post-pandemic world, combining industrial elements with modern materials and vivid colors.
This article is part of an ArchDaily curated series that focuses on built projects from our own database grouped under specific themes related to cities, typologies, materials, or programs. Every month, we will highlight a collection of structures that find a common thread between previously uncommon contexts, unpacking the depths of influence on our built environments. As always, at ArchDaily, we highly appreciate the input of our readers. If you think we should mention specific ideas, please submit your suggestions.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Refurbishment, proudly presented by Sto.
Extending the lifespan of buildings reduces cost and environmental impact, avoiding demolition or more substantial interventions in the future. Sto's products for facades, facade refurbishment, crack repair, waterproofing, and concrete restoration systems are used on heritage buildings, adaptive reuse projects, renovations, and maintenance of new buildings all over the world. Every month we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and architecture projects. We invite you to learn more about our ArchDaily Topics. And, as always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us.
