Case Studies
Knox Church Residence
Project Name:
Knox Church ResidenceLocation:
Elsternwick, Victoria, AustraliaCompletion Date:
2009Original Use(s):
churchNew Use(s):
private residenceProject Description:
History
Established by John Knox, The Kirk was built in 1867 in the Melbourne suburb of Elsternwick. The building features brick polychrome which was at the height of its popularity during its construction. Alternating cream and umber brick mark the gear-tooth points and wrap the building in tiny quoins. The church became an icon for the community with its style being mimicked in a nearby substation as well as homes.[1]
(Re)Developer
The team at Williams Boag Architects (WBa) has expertise in architecture, planning, urban design, and interior design. With a focus on a sustainable future, WBa has handled a number of adaptive reuse projects since their founding in 1975. Some of their adaptive reuse projects include the conversions of the Melbourne GPO Building (post office to retail hub), the Ancient Times House (warehouse to affordable youth housing), and the former Uniting Church (church to apartments).
Outcome
Through the adaptive reuse process, WBa was able to retain the shell of the church as well as the original flooring. Even the original pulpit remains in the new home, moved only about 10 feet. The interior now includes segmented rooms within the large space of the church. A new garage was added separate from the church while a carport was attached to the family room.[2]
This once community space for worshipping has now been repurposed for the benefit of a single family. While the community may have lost a gathering space, the surrounding area has been strengthened by the retained style and new life of the conversion.
[1]Australian Design Review
[2]Australian Design Review
Images courtesy of Sonia Mangiapane.
Inujima Art Project
Project Name:
Inujima Art ProjectLocation:
Inujima Island, JapanCompletion Date:
2008Original Use(s):
copper refineryNew Use(s):
art museumProject Description:
History
Opened in 1909 using local funding, the copper refinery was one of many that were built on islands in the Seto Island Sea. The island locations were chosen both for their resources as well as a way to minimize pollution and provide convenient transport of the raw materials. Due to a massive plunge in the value of copper, the refinery shut down after only 10 years of operation. Because of its groundbreaking role in Japan’s industrial development, the Inujima refinery site was designated in 2007 as “Story 30″ in the “33 Heritage Constellations of Industrial Modernization” by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.[1]
(Re)Developer
Soichiro Fukutake, primary project benefactor, is President of Benesse Corporation. Ranked among the top ten richest people in Japan, Fukutake took over the company his father founded which focuses on distance learning and test preparation for schools and universities. He has transformed Naoshima into an art mecca and serves as director of the Chichu Art Museum.[2]
Hiroshi Sambuichi founded Sambuichi Architects in Hiroshima. Sambuichi is well known and recognized for his sustainable designs and focus.[3]
Outcome
The Inujima Art Project was undertaken as a way to revitalize the area while at the same time raise awareness about the issues surrounding industrialization. The site was slated for use as a medical waste dump, but thanks to Fukutake’s efforts was saved. While much of the actual gallery space is new construction, it was been made using recycled elements from the site. Much of the old refinery, smokestacks, and grounds have been preserved as historic ruins to encapsulate the gallery.
The museum was designed to use solar, geothermal, and other natural energies as a way to minimize its burden on the environment. Sambuichi designed the gallery to use the natural cooling effects of the earth for the buried portion of the building and the existing smokestacks to pull fresh air in from the bottom and release old air out through the top.[4]
Electricity is only necessary to power emergency lighting; all other lighting, heating, and cooling needs are met through passive measures.[5] Lighting for the Earth Gallery (steel-encased corridor embedded in the ground) is provided by a single skylight that is extended by nine mirrors strategically located throughout. The sun-lit Chimney Hall at the base of the smokestack filters light into the vaulted Energy Hall.[6] Waste water at the gallery is filtered on site with a plant-based water purifying system and then used to irrigate orange and olive trees.[7]
Designed to harmonize with the earth’s natural cycles, Seirensho is just the beginning of what Fukutake has in store for Inujima; among other things, plans are afoot to restore and transform several of the island’s old houses into art installations in collaboration with architect Kazuyo Sejima. But even as the scope of Fukutake’s interventions expands, the visionary art patron remains true to his basic mantra: “utilize existing elements and create elements that do not exist.”[8]
Due to the island’s size (.21 square miles) and the desire to preserve the site, only 50 visitors are allowed a day.[9]
[1]Benesse Art Site Naoshima
[2]Wallpaper* Magazine
[3]Benesse Art Site Naoshima
[4]Wallpaper* Magazine
[5]Inhabitat
[6]Wallpaper* Magazine
[7]Inhabitat
[8]Wallpaper* Magazine
[9]Inhabitat
Images courtesy of Inhabitat.
Berkeley County Judicial Center
Project Name:
Berkeley County Judicial CenterLocation:
Martinsburg, West Virginia, USACompletion Date:
December 2006Original Use(s):
woolen mill, outlet mall, community and technical collegeNew Use(s):
courthouseProject Description:
History
This historic complex in downtown Martinsburg, West Virginia, has gone through numerous adaptations. Originally built in phases from 1917 to 1927, the U-shaped structure was constructed of brick and heavy timber and first served as a woolen mill. After the mill was shut down, it was converted into an outlet mall in the 1980s as a shopping destination for the local community. The outlet mall however did not succeed and the complex again went through another rebirth as a community and technical college.[1]
(Re)Developer
The Berkeley County Commission serves as the governmental agency for Berkeley County, West Virginia.
AECOM provides professional technical and management support services in: architecture, building engineering, design and planning, economics, energy, environment, government, program management, transportation, and water. It has offices around the world.[2]
Brechbill and Helman Construction Company, Inc. has served the construction industry for over 40 years working in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.[3]
Outcome
The abandoned Blue Ridge Outlet Mall complex in downtown Martinsburg was adapted by AECOM in order to consolidate the judicial operations of Berkeley County. Its location in downtown meant the adaptation needed to respect the original structure as well as the scale of the surrounding area.
The industrial history is maintained through the original brick exterior walls while a new protruding glass entrance was incorporated to fill in the U-shape and make for a larger usable floor plate. A three-story light well was added to bring natural light in through the building as well as establish a grand public space.
In addition to revitalizing the abandoned building, the renovation also allows for future growth and expansion of the facility at the location. “The success of this project has been fully realized in witnessing the revitalization that has occurred in the surrounding community.”[4]
[1]AECOM
[2]AECOM
[3]Brechbill and Helman
[4]AECOM
Images courtesy of Erik Svensson and AECOM.
LIVESTRONG Headquarters
Project Name:
LIVESTRONG HeadquartersLocation:
Austin, Texas, USACompletion Date:
February 2009Original Use(s):
warehouseNew Use(s):
officeProject Description:
History
The Gold Coast Paper warehouse was built in the 1950s and served the Austin, Texas, area for a number of years.[1]
(Re)Developer
The Lance Armstrong Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and creating a “relevant, vibrant cancer movement based on evidence and strategic investment.” The Foundation helps to provide one-on-one support as well as cancer awareness and research funding advocacy.
Lake|Flato Architects was commissioned to develop and realize the adaptive reuse of the old warehouse. The firm focuses their work on six principles: land, light, craft, community, spaces between, sustainability.
The Bommarito Group was selected to provide programming direction, design and local knowledge of the city processes. The firm also acted as the project manager for the consultants hired for the adaptive reuse.
Outcome
After leasing corporate office space for over a decade, The Lance Armstrong Foundation now has a permanent home for the LIVESTRONG offices in East Austin, Texas. The headquarters is part of a larger revitalization effort within the underserved neighborhood of Austin. The adaptive reuse of this warehouse has provided new life and a commitment to the local community.
The renovated space provides a number of private office and meeting spaces as well as large open areas to host meetings for other local non-profits. The work has resulted in LEED Gold certification, codifying the Foundation’s concern for the environment. Additionally, the LIVESTRONG Patient Navigation Center (PNC). The PNC, opening in summer 2010, “will service people with cancer or at risk for cancer, with an emphasis on underserved populations in the Austin area. The PNC will work to improve access to all available support systems ranging from information and education to financial assistance and family support.”[2]
[1]FURFIN
[2]The Lance Armstrong Foundation
Images courtesy of Casey Dunn and The Lance Armstrong Foundation.
Jefferson Market Library
Project Name:
Jefferson Market LibraryLocation:
New York City, New York, USACompletion Date:
1967Original Use(s):
courthouseNew Use(s):
libraryProject Description:
History
Designed by architects Frederick Clark Withers and Calvert Vaux, the Jefferson Market Courthouse was built in the Victorian Gothic style over the years 1875 to 1877. In the 1880s, the building was chosen as the fourth most beautiful building in America. In 1945, the courthouse was shut down due to redistricting. It was then used by a number of agencies including the Police Academy. The building was empty and vacated by 1958.
(Re)Developer
Community members rallied together to convince New York City to preserve the building rather than follow through with its plans to demolish it and replace it with an apartment building. Margot Gayle (preservationist), Philip Wittenberg (lawyer), Lewis Mumford (historian), E.E. Cummings (poet/playwright), and Maurice Evans (actor) succeeded when Mayor Robert F. Wagner announced in 1961 that the city would convert the building into a public library.
Outcome
The adaptive reuse project of the courthouse began in 1965 and was completed in 1967.[1] The police court became the Children’s Reading Room, the Civil Court the Adult Reading Room. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977, both under its name as “Third Judicial District Courthouse”.[2]
The old fire bell in the tower began it ring again in 1996 after over 100 years of being silent. That bell, along with the library, has reconnected this community and reinvigorated the idea of “village” for Greenwich Village.[3] What once upheld the laws of the land now provides knowledge and community space for the neighborhood.
[1]The New York Public Library
[2]Wikipedia
[3]The New York Times
Images courtesy of wallyg, WanderingtheWorld and hersterk.
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Arts Center
Project Name:
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Arts CenterLocation:
Governors Island, New York City, New York, USACompletion Date:
2010Original Use(s):
munition storage; military officesNew Use(s):
art studioProject Description:
History
The U.S. Army originally constructed Building 110 on Governors Island in 1870 to hold munitions at this strategic location off the southern end of Manhattan Island. During it’s time as an Army facility, Building 110 was eventually converted to house Army offices. The consolidation of the U.S. Military in 1966 saw the transfer of the base and Building 110 to the U.S. Coast Guard, who continued to use the building for office space. The base was shut down in 1995 and with it Building 110 was vacated.[1]
(Re)Developer
The Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation (GIPEC) was created in 2003 when the United States sold Governors Island and its structures to the people of New York.[2] GIPEC is responsible for the planning, redevelopment, and operations of Governors Island which includes establishing the island as a location with great public open space, educational opportunities, and not-for-profit and commercial facilities.[3]
Founded in 1973, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) is the nonprofit dedicated to presenting, advocating, and providing for artists and the arts throughout Manhattan.[4]
Outcome
As part of its mission to open Governors Island to the public, GIPEC has partnered LMCC to convert Building 110 into an arts center. Opened in March 2010, 14,000 square feet of the building has been repurposed into large, divided studio spaces. LMCC manages the arts program which provides four-month residencies in the space. Artists take the morning ferry from Manhattan to Governors Island and take the last ferry (5pm) back home to the city. Building 110 is situated at the docks making it easily accessible to the artists as well as the visiting general public.
The arts center provides space to artists who have struggled to find adequate and cheap locations. The artists find Building 110 and its location perfect as they are able to get away from the busy city to concentrate on their work. The general public can observe their artwork as well as view them as they work during three weekends over the course of the summer. The adaptation of the building has also fostered a community for the artists who work the same “shifts” and share the large but partitioned space.[5] The building will continue to evolve as new groups of artists cycle through with changing residencies, adding a new outlook and sense of opportunity to Building 110.
[1]Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation
[2]Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation
[3]Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation
[4]Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC)
[5]The New York Times
Images courtesy of Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.
Courtyard Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square
Project Name:
Courtyard Seattle Downtown Pioneer SquareLocation:
Seattle, Washington, USACompletion Date:
June 2010Original Use(s):
bankNew Use(s):
hotelProject Description:
History
Dating back to the days of the Gold Rush, the Alaska Building originally served as a bank to the Seattle area. This 1904 building was the first steel-framed structure and the first real “skyscraper” in the Northwest. The 14-story building was designed by Eames and Young and stood as the city’s tallest building until 1911. The building was styled with Beaux Arts ornamentation which is rare in Seattle. The Alaska Building started a rush of similarly-sized buildings along the street, lending it the monicker of the Second Avenue canyon.[1]
(Re)Developer
Marriott International is a family of wide-ranging hotel brands including: Marriott Hotels, Renaissance Hotels, EDITION Hotels, and Courtyard by Marriott. With over 800 locations in 28 countries, Courtyard caters to a wide range of travelers by offering varying accommodations.[2]
Outcome
The historic Alaska Building once again serves travelers and visitors to the City of Seattle. Although the days of the Gold Rush are behind this northwestern city, there is still much activity and excitement happening in this growing metropolis. The bank may no longer be accepting the gold findings from prospectors, but the new Courtyard by Marriott hotel has opened its doors to provide overnight stay to tourists and business people.
Located in Pioneer Square (the original heart of Seattle), the Courtyard building is part of this well-known historic district. The hotel is within walking distance to numerous art galleries, internet companies, cafés, sports bars, nightclubs, and bookstores.[3]
The adaptive reuse project of the building converted the numerous office floors into a 262-guest room hotel. In addition to the rooms, the hotel also boasts nine meeting rooms as well as easy mass transit connections to the rest of the city.[4]
[1]Wikipedia
[2]Marriott International
[3]Wikipedia
[4]Courtyard by Marriott
Images courtesy of Marriott and Washington State Historical Society.
Children’s Museum of Phoenix
Project Name:
Children’s Museum of PhoenixLocation:
Phoenix, Arizona, USACompletion Date:
June 2008Original Use(s):
elementary schoolNew Use(s):
museumProject Description:
History
Designed by Los Angeles architect Norman Marsh, the Monroe School opened to elementary grade students in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1913. Due to Phoenix’s urban sprawl, the population in downtown decreased significantly as residents moved further and further away from the center. With a shrinking downtown resident base to serve, the School District closed the building in 1972. It was later remodeled by the Department of Defense and used as a recruiting center.[1]
(Re)Developer
The Children’s Museum of Phoenix, originally founded in 1998 as the Phoenix Family Museum, is dedicated to the concept that learning is a joy. With a mission to engage the minds, muscles and imaginations of children and the grown-ups who care about them, the group provided a traveling exhibit program (Museum Without Walls) for its first ten years while they created a permanent home at the Monroe School.[2]
Outcome
In support of the museum’s intentions and role within the community, Phoenix residents approved $10.5 million in bond funds in 2001 to purchase and renovate the Monroe School into the new Children’s Museum of Phoenix. In addition to the bond funds, the Museum also launched the Childhood Dreams Built By You capital campaign to raise an additional $12.3 million in funding. The adaptive reuse project started in 2006 and was completed with doors opening in June 2008.[3]
The Monroe School is now alive and active with children once again. Once a venue for structured learning, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix provides a more free-form and interactive method for kids and their parents to learn and play. While the original school may have closed due to a shrinking downtown population, the Museum has been successful in drawing in people from all over the Phoenix area as well as the new residential base that has resurfaced in downtown.
[1]Children’s Museum of Phoenix
[2]Children’s Museum of Phoenix
[3]Children’s Museum of Phoenix
Images courtesy of Children’s Museum of Phoenix.
Corso Karlín
Project Name:
Corso KarlínLocation:
Prague, Czech Republic, EUCompletion Date:
2001Original Use(s):
factoryNew Use(s):
office centerProject Description:
History
The industrial space is located in the Prague 8 municipal district of Prague. Formerly an independent town until 1922, the district was home to many industrial functions.[1]
(Re)Developer
Ricardo Bofill, the renowned Catalan architect, was born in 1939 in Barcelona. In 1963, shortly after graduating from the Barcelona University of Arqitectura and Scholl of Geneva, Bofill formed an international team of architects, engineers, sociologists, writers, movie makers and philosophers and thus founded Taller de Arqitectura. Over the past 40 years, the studio has gathered valuable experience in the fields of urban planning, architecture, landscaping, interior, furniture and product design. Among prestigious projects undertaken by Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arqitectura are the Christian Dior headquarters in Paris, the headquarters developed for Cartier, Decaux, Axa, the Shiseido company headquarters in Tokyo, Donnelley skyscraper in Chicago, and the international airport in Barcelona, and many other.
Real Estate Karlín Group (REKG) was founded in 1997 by Serge Borenstein, Charles Butler and the Marc Rich Real Estate Group. REKG focuses its investment and development activities especially in Prague 8, namely Karlín and Libeň districts, where the company owns a sizeable amount of real estate. The company’s plans include developing tens thousands of square feet to provide new spaces for office, retail and residential purposes and leisure facilities in the mentioned areas. REKG pays close attention to the quality of architectural design in all of its projects it plans and executes, and due to its approach to quality, the company has received the “Best of Realty” and “Building of the Year” awards.
Outcome
As part of REKG’s plan to modernize the district, Taller de Arquitectura used its previous adaptive reuse experience to complete the renovation of Corso Karlín. The original building has been preserved and its base renovated. The new roof is of glass, and red stucco arcades highlight the composition of the existing ground floor. The aim here is to maintain a dialogue between light and shadow, solidity and transparency; between the language of classical architecture and modern materials.[2]
The area, once marked by dirty industrial spaces, is now breathing easier with a new life focused on business. The conversion of Corso plays out this conversion, opening up the building to its surrounding area and bringing in lots of natural light. By reusing the building, REKG and Taller de Arquitectura have been able to solidify the district’s past as well as future.
[1]Wikipedia
[2]Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura
Images courtesy of Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura.
Baptist Temple
Project Name:
Baptist TempleLocation:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USACompletion Date:
March 2010Original Use(s):
Baptist churchNew Use(s):
performance and event spaceProject Description:
History
Built in 1891, this Victorian Romanesque-revival church in Philadelphia was the home of Grace Baptist Church. The church was founded along with Temple University a few years earlier by Massachusetts preacher Russell H. Conwell. It remained as a church until the mid-1970s when the congregation moved out to a larger building.[1] It was purchased by Temple University in 1974. The building was later certified by the Philadelphia Historical Commission in 1984, which was then followed by the American Institute of Architects designating it as a Landmark Building in 2003.[2]
(Re)Developer
Founded in 1884 as Temple College, Temple University has eight campuses which include locations in Rome and Tokyo. “Temple University is a national center of excellence in teaching and research with an international presence.”
RMJM is an international architectural firm that specializes in architecture, sustainable design, urbanism, masterplanning, interior design and research and development. The firm is committed to the care and improvement of the environment and the communities in which it operates and has taken a leading role in promoting environmental best practice and the move towards sustainability. This commitment is followed through by the delivery of low energy buildings and an in-house research and development group RED (RMJM Environmental Design). This multidisciplinary team spearheads energy efficiency and a sustainable approach in the earliest stages of projects. RED operates globally and works with all of the firm’s project teams, auditing the implementation of environmental design strategies on projects at each major design stage.
Outcome
After sitting vacant for 30 years, Temple University undertook a $30 million renovation and restructuring of the old church. It is now a state-of-the-art performance center that still retains its original character. Initially the school considered tearing down the church due to its deteriorated state, but those plans were altered after the Historical Commission certified the building. After being known as a “dead space” in North Philadelphia, it is now ready to be the school’s new gateway.[3]
Lew Klein Hall, a 1,200-seat theater and the primary performance space, features a large, protruding stage, superior acoustics, vaulted ceilings and much of the building’s restored original features. The historic Chapel of the Four Chaplains is a now an event space that can hold up to 130 seats. Being located along North Broad Street, the new use for the building fits well within the school’s master plan to orient the growing campus along this corridor.[4]
[1]Philadelphia Inquirer
[2]The Baptist Temple
[3]Philadelphia Inquirer
[4]Temple University
Images courtesy of Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Temple University.