The continuation of remote work practices has altered cities' bustling downtown areas along with the traditional office landscape, leaving behind many vacant spaces whose future purpose is a matter of speculation. Four years after the onset of hybrid working policies, office occupancy rates in urban centers remain lower than pre-pandemic levels, signaling a long-term shift in the work environment. Some developers have aimed to reposition these buildings while other are seeking alternative uses of vacant buildings in central location. While both approaches prove beneficial in their own ways, the potential for repurposing office buildings is vast and exciting. From residential living to cutting-edge research facilities, architects and developers explore diverse possibilities and challenges of transforming these underutilized structures into thriving new spaces.
Office vacancy rates in the United States have sharply increased, with forecasts indicating that a large share of office spaces could be left empty in the near future. In reaction, there's been a recent trend in office-conversion projects across urban areas. By early 2024, nearly 70 million square feet of office space were already in the process of being repurposed, and the number of conversion completions projected to more than double compared to last year. Among the many office-conversion projects anticipated for completion, most are being transformed into multifamily residential spaces. Though this is a popular option, there are many other productive ways to transform and revitalize office spaces:
Office to Residential
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From Factories to Workspaces: The Evolution of Industrial Buildings into Modern OfficesConverting offices into residential buildings has become a highly popular solution in the United States particularly to address housing shortages in urban areas. This approach revitalizes aging office buildings in major cities like Boston, Cleveland, and New York City as an alternative to new construction. Some architects have proposed creating standardized housing units that can be "plugged into" existing office structures, similar to Le Corbusier's plug-in city concepts. Addison Godine's Urban Housing Unit is an example of this approach to help create and sustain middle-income housing in Boston. These prefabricated units could be slid into gutted office floors, with the building providing basic utilities and support structures.
To make these conversions successful, several key design changes are typically implemented. Floor plans are reconfigured to create individual residential units with suitable room divisions, and essential amenities like bathrooms, kitchens, and updated plumbing and electrical systems are added. Enhancements such as enlarging windows to improve natural light, along with incorporating features like laundry facilities and fitness centers, are also common.
Office to Hotel
Similar to office-to-residence conversions, the opportunity to repurpose commercial space into hotels prove beneficial when located in prime downtown areas near amenities and attractions. Historic office structures lend themselves well for boutique hotel concepts. For example, Aspen Hospitality plans to transform 10 vacant office floors at 10 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City into the 130-room Little Nell luxury boutique hotel. Experts highlight that about 25% of Manhattan's vacant office spaces, particularly older Class B and C buildings, are suitable for such conversions due to their smaller floor plates and favorable ceiling heights. The rise in hotel room demand, driven by strong tourism recovery and restricted new hotel developments, has made these conversions lucrative
These projects require significant modifications such as, updates to mechanical systems and adherence to new environmental regulations. Floor plans need to be reconfigured to accommodate guest rooms and suites and allow for each room to be fitted with private bathrooms. HVAC systems must be upgraded to allow for individual room control, and new features such as lobby and reception areas are to be created. Additional amenities, including restaurants, meeting rooms, and fitness centers, can be added to enhance the guest experience.
Office to Life Sciences Building
Growth in the life sciences sector has resulted in a demand for well-designed laboratory and research spaces. Office conversions, particularly in biotech hubs, have been meeting these needs. Typically, these conversions involve repurposing a portion of office space for lab use to generate rental income comparable to that of a newly constructed life science facility. The cost savings from converting an existing office building can be substantial, often current expenses by at least 50% compared to a new development. Office-to-lab conversions accounted for nearly 10 million square feet of new lab space in the largest U.S. life sciences markets by the end of 2021
Office to life science building conversions benefit from proximity to established life science clusters, supporting the attraction of top talent and collaboration among researchers. To adapt office buildings for lab use, several design modifications are essential: floors must be reinforced to support heavy equipment, ceiling heights increased for specialized ventilation, and electrical and plumbing systems upgraded to meet lab standards. Additionally, creating specialized spaces like clean rooms and improving loading dock access are crucial for supporting the demands of life science operations.
Office to Healthcare Facility
As healthcare needs expand, converting offices into medical facilities has become an appealing option, especially for properties already located near hospitals or in areas with insufficient medical services. This trend is being driven by a demand for accessible healthcare. Around 10,000 baby boomers are retiring daily in the United States and this has resulted in a need for convenient one-stop healthcare solutions. Recent examples, such as the renovation of a three-story office building into a state-of-the-art medical facility for Summit Health in Long Island, New York, depict the potential of these conversions.
Essential design modifications for these conversions include reconfiguring spaces to accommodate waiting rooms, exam rooms, and procedure areas; upgrading HVAC systems for better air filtration; enhancing plumbing to support medical equipment; improving accessibility features; and installing specialized medical waste disposal systems.
Office to Storage Unit
In locations that are less well-connected, there have been instances of converting office buildings into self-storage facilities as a cost-effective solution to meet the demand for storage units in the United States. Start-ups like Stuf emerged during the pandemic and repurposed vacant offices, empty garages, and unused storefronts instead of constructing new storage warehouses. Stuf lays its focus on urban areas by collaborating with landlords to install largely automated storage units into these underutilized spaces, generating revenue for both parties.
Key design changes to convert office buildings into storage facilities include the ability to remove interior walls to create large, open storage areas. Floors may need reinforcement to handle heavy loads. Climate control systems could be installed to protect temperature-sensitive items, and security systems such as surveillance cameras and access control systems are to be added to ensure safety of the stored items.
Repurposing office buildings into residential spaces, hotels, laboratories and more are successful at addressing specific market demands while also promoting sustainability in the construction and real estate industry. The adaptive reuse of underutilized properties allow for minimized waste and reduced carbon emissions associated with new construction. Additionally, these projects benefit from a shorter turnaround time compared to developments started from scratch. Conversions offer a streamlined approval process and quicker construction timelines, offering an efficient solution to meet evolving needs.
The trend in office conversions raises important questions about the future of commercial real estate and the need for adaptable design. The multiple office conversions have made it clear that the lifecycle of a building may involve multiple repurposing. To facilitate these future conversions and maximize the long-term value of commercial properties, architects and developers should consider incorporating flexibility into their initial designs. This forward-thinking approach of "future-proofing” designs involve creating spaces with versatile floor plans, robust infrastructures, and easily modifiable systems. This strategy not only enhances the longevity of buildings but also potentially reduces the costs and environmental impact of future conversions.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Multi-Purpose Spaces. 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.
