Adaptive re-use

Pilevneli Gallery is an assertive example of adaptive re-use located in Dolapdere, a district at Taksim. The area is currently undergoing an urban transformation focused on art and culture.  The gallery is situated on the main street, its structure demands attention with its characteristic neutral facade of anthracite vertical lamella andneatly composed linear openings. Thomas Mayer Thomas Mayer Thomas Mayer Up until five years ago, this underprivileged yet very central neighborhood dominated the commercial scene with its mechanics and mannequin showrooms. Today, we are witnessing the transformation of this unplanned, colorful, hectic environment with relatively small-sized buildings being replaced by hotels, galleries... More

Samuels & Associates – the company that spearheaded the revitalization of Boston’s Fenway neighborhood – embraced the adaptive re-use of a former auto repair shop in the Fenway for itsnew headquarters. The design team honored the building’s industrial rootswhile creating public and private spaces that reflect the company’s hands-onculture.   Design Challenge:A highly successful development, leasing, and property management company, Samuels & Associates has long been active in the Fenway, spearheading many urban renewal projects to help turn this formerly neglected neighborhood into a vibrant, welcoming, and pedestrian-friendly community. Samuels chose two floors above retail establishments in a f... More

The British Council located in the heart of New Delhi, is a design collaboration of grandmasters, Howard Hodgkin, Charles Correa and Mahendra Raj. Introduced at a time when books were sporadic and expensive, the British Council library along with its unparalleled collection of books, audio books and internet stations made learning interactive. Today, the British Council as an institution, is considered as the first point of contact for those who seek higher studies in the UK and for the propagation of the English language in the Indian context. It has evolved from being a conventional library to a centre for knowledge dissemination, culture and networking. It is also a place that hosts varied art and cultural programmes; British, Indian and... More

This project sensitively inserts new architecture into a former industrial warehouse building, located in the inner west of Sydney, for a new 80-place childcare centre.   The brief called for a new 80-place childcare centre that would accommodate indoor and outdoor playspaces, an abundance of daylight and natural ventilation and a low VOC materials specification. Dominant bright colours, usually associated with institutional childcare accommodation, were avoided in preference to a palette of natural, honest materials and finishes to create a familiar residential feel. A large cut-out to the existing warehouse roof created outdoor playspaces open to the elements while the remaining roof provides shade and shelter over the new internal... More

This urban infill project is an adaptive re-use of an underutilized one story concrete garage originally part of the adjacent apartment building, using it as the base for a new single-family residence on Russian Hill in San Francisco. Set at the end of a small alley, the building makes a natural transition step from an adjacent seven story apartment complex to a two story existing house to the south.   The project included a variance to have complete lot coverage on the ground floor, with raised exterior decks on the structure below to provide open space for occupants. A roof deck accessed by an exterior spiral staircase has a sweeping 180 degree view of the City from east to west.   Two new horizontal boxes form layers above... More

Emerging design practice WallaceLiu has completed the Chongqing Industrial Museum, which has been created amongst the remaining structures of a former steel factory. The new 7,500 sqm museum is part of a larger redevelopment of the old factory site and was designed to recognise the national significance of the steelworks cultural, social and industrial history.   The new museum building is constructed from a lightweight steel frame structure which allowed building volumes to be inserted in between the old structures. Inspired by the long, complex and layered views through the original factory site, WallaceLiu decided to lift the metal boxes that contain the enclosed exhibition spaces off the ground to create a complex, permeable and... More

The existing historic industrial-use building provided a unique canvas, and challenging opportunity for this carefully considered owner-occupied adaptive re-use project in the rapidly evolving SOMA neighborhood of San Francisco. Historic elements of the front facade were restored and refurbished, while new modernist infill elements were introduced at the ground level, creating a dynamic relationship as experienced from the street and pedestrian level between new and old. The second floor was transformed into a 4,500 square foot, full-floor “NYC-style” residential loft for the owners; focused toward a new 20’x20’ courtyard with motorized operable glass roof carved into the existing floor plate, and expansive upper lev... More

Situated along San Antonio’s Riverwalk, the Veramendi House consists of four historic buildings dating back to the 19th century and the remnant of the former Solo Serve building.  Through the careful use of indoor/outdoor space and specific programming, Clayton Korte in conjunction with The Mighty Union has endeavored to revitalize these derelict buildings for future use as an 83 key boutique hotel, retail, restaurant, bars and a maker’s market. The vacant exterior spaces that separate the buildings will be converted into vibrant public courtyards that provide circulation throughout the interstitial spaces and offer opportunities for social engagement. Planned restaurants, bars, cafes, retail and pool area will add to the... More

A new single family house designed adjacent to the Oppenheim Europe office. This elegant contemporary structure juxtaposes with the adaptive re-use of the historic farmhouse that was converted into the office. The new and old share commonalities of materials and colors. The 3-floor house is organized with the master bedroom and guest bedroom on the top floor; the kitchen, dining and living spaces on the ground level; and the children’s bedrooms below ground with a ramped outdoor backyard terrace leading up to the ground level.   The design of this adaptive re-use project was born initially out of a design competition initiated by the City of Muttenz. The design was based on the renovation of an historic farmhouse situated withi... More

Davidson Rafailidis has turned a general contractor’s former office space into a small apartment dwelling, in an interior adaptive re-use that treats space as constantly evolving and ever-changing.   Over time, most spaces stray from their original programs and developlives of their own. While the role of the initial occupant/owner is reduced inthe process, the role of a building, by contrast, becomes more prominent, generous and unpredictable. Buildings can often be seen hosting unexpected uses and formal reinterpretations. Even in theshort timespan of a single year, spaces can offer changing and distinct qualitiesthat require users to engage with them in different ways.   Big Space, Little Space, takes this transformat... More

Completed in 2012, the award-winning Centre for Addiction and Mental Health at Village Family Health was designed by ARK Inc. as a premier facility in Toronto’s Liberty Village.   Relocating a team of mental healthcare professionals away from the support, security and comfort of a large urban hospital is an innovative strategy to both increase patient access to healthcare and to de-stigmatize the delivery of these services. The Village Family Health Team integrates mental health services with primary healthcare programs, functioning as a subsidiary to Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Designed by Toronto-based architecture firm ARK Inc., the clinic is an adaptive re-use project that borrows from the... More

This is, in a sense, an adaptive re-use project. We took a no-frills river cruise boat in Instanbul, shipped it to India, and turned it into a high-end floating restaurant in Mumbai.The boat has four levels. The main level houses two 75-seat restaurant/banqueting spaces that are separated by a sliding wall. The upper deck has an open-air bar, a dance lounge, and a VIP room designed to feel like a living space in a luxury yacht. The topmost level has an open-to-sky deck with panoramic views all around. The lowest level houses engine rooms, the galley, toilets, and crew living spaces.We selected a palette of materials drawn from India’s rich maritime history; Indian Teak wood, and brass. On the main level, the design challenge was to make a l... More

The North River Architecture design team has embraced Passive House design as a challenge and necessity in their practice. By demonstrating that Passive House design can be affordable, beautiful, resilient, and comfortable, the designers sought to overcome the common challenges that hinder its mainstream viability. This 2,755 square foot home was designed to have zero energy or maintenance costs while respecting local historic and cultural significance. The design concept takes its references from the simple, hardscrabble farm buildings still common and recognizable in New York's Hudson Valley since the Dutch settlers came to the area in the 17th century. This simplicity allowed for modern strategic e... More

Our new childcare project is located in an urban area of Melbourne On a challenging, steep site, the project incorporates a retained heritage cottage and a new building that is bursting with exciting elements that prioritises a child's experience of the built space. Our priority was to create open, minimal, flexible spaces that are well connected to the interactive outdoor play spaces spread over three levels.   A Playful Childcare Centre on an Urban Site in Melbourne There's a strong demand for childcare in Melbourne though the industry can often be more difficult than it first seems. Developers are often tackling difficult sites where residential developments don’t stack up, by opting to build a childcare centre instead. This often means... More