Considering the time, energy, and environmental impact of a construction process, architecture must explore different methodologies that work with the existing built environment. For example: how to give life to a forgotten building? Adaptive reuse gives new opportunities to abandoned buildings, following the idea that good architecture must be durable, innovative and recyclable.
Architects should not design just for the present, but should also think of how to adapt buildings for the future. In view of the world’s current situation regarding the climate crisis and available natural resources, adaptive reuse explores strategies for sustainability and design innovation, working to reduce energy consumption, minimal carbon impact and positive social impact.
Through a selection of ingenious residential projects –in which materials are immersed into a transformation, maintenance, or renovation process–, the article opens a discussion on how good architecture is durable and reusable. We explore a series of innovative material strategies used by architects to re-adapt existing buildings into new homes, according to various needs and requirements.
Enhancing the Building’s Materiality
A Second Life for the Windmill
Designed for a rural landscape, the Windmill House stands out for its strong nod towards the traditional architecture of the Polish countryside. The strategy aims to give a second life to the windmill by adapting the interior to residential requirements and technical and local conditions.
The design is based on three materials: wood, concrete, and glass. Maintaining wooden boards in its façade helps the building keep its original expression and form. The project incorporates glass as a significant material to open the interior to its surroundings. As new functions imply new structures, after restoring reusable elements, the design plan added reinforced concrete floors, walls and ceiling. Making use of the mill’s old beams, the project created a half-timbered wall interior.
Minimizing Impact by Reusing a Stable
Stable house is part of a family compound that intends to minimize its impact onto the bush reserve. The project keeps the old heritage brick walls of the stable throughout the whole perimeter, revealing itself throughout the house in different ways.
The addition of a white ceiling volume creates an illuminated space that contrasts with the warmth and texture of the existing timber ceilings and exposed brick walls. The plan includes four passive sustainable strategies; together with the maximization of the brick wall as a new enclosure, it considered a native planted screen wrapping, natural shading and cross ventilation for the house.
Experimenting with Existing Containers
From shipping containers to a guest house, Poteet Architects demonstrate their sensitivity in transforming existing buildings into modern interior design. Their approach maintains the steel container and opens it up to the surrounding landscape with the addition of glass.
With a clear focus on sustainability, the container's new life is characterized by a planted roof, an insulated interior and the introduction of a foundation made of recycled telephone poles.
Giving the Building a New Aesthetic
Art Deco Style Church Transformed into Two New Homes
Built in 1924, the former Luke Chapel in Bern, Switzerland, was converted into two new homes. Morscher Architects introduced new material strategies to enable living conditions within the old building. To maintain free space in the floor plan while receiving light from the church window, the main action was to design the upper apartment in a hanging concrete box. Adding glass in the closed façade also illuminates the interior.
Former Warehouse into a New Family House
With an emphasis on maintaining the industrial feel of the former Redfern Warehouse yet creating a new living space, the project adds architectural elements. The insertion of refined and elegant elements creates an illuminated space, with natural light, ventilation and landscape views, which differentiates the family house concept from the existing building.
Mixed-Use Architecture with Adaptive Reuse
The introduction of new materials to an existing steel structure warehouse transformed the space into almost 54,000 m2 of mixed-use space. Restructuring the Katendrecht district was carried out at the same time of the renovation of disused buildings. Managed as a flexible concrete construction, the residential volume supports a steel table structure built right through the warehouse. Simple and illuminated interiors allow flexible floor plans within the apartments, ready to adapt to different necessities and dimensions.
Transforming the Inside, Maintaining the Outside
A Theater Transforms to Adapt to the Needs of New Spectators
Inside the Majestic Theater –a brick volume with a distinguished rendered façade– a new project incorporates commercial use and three levels of residential apartments. Keeping the existing volume, roof profile and perimeter walls, the proposal intervenes the interior with simple materials and light colors to provide illuminated and spacious living spaces.
From Dance Hall to House Transformation
The transformation aimed to preserve and highlight the value of the building’s constructive elements with three main strategies. Reclaiming the original façade showed the materiality and composition of the building’s face to the town. Reinforcing the structure with the new demands and the isolation to increase interior comfort were some of the improvements to its energy efficiency and structure. A bioclimatic hall was defined by a large sliding skylight that both illuminates and ventilates space.
With a focus on enhancing historic buildings, the intervention completely preserved the residential building, which is connected to the hay barn with the introduction of a wooden structure.
Maintaining black walls and vertical openings, the old farm's authentic elements continued to present in the new design. To make the interiors into a residential unit, it is divided into two floors that are separated into rooms and common spaces. The project aimed to preserve and expose its natural materials, keeping its old stone masonry and the existing roof structure of the barn.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on September 15, 2022.
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