Introduction
'Waste not, want not' is an expression that has become increasingly relevant in recent years, as economic influences and factors have forced many to tighten budgets and make the most of what we have, rather than constantly replacing the old with new. This attitude of saving extends to architecture in the form of adaptive reuse of building’s and their interior. Today, the strategy of converting an old building into something better suited to contemporary requirements is a way of creating a contemporary interior space, which pays respect to the history and heritage of the building. Adaptive reuse, by definition, pushes buildings away from their historic function and often away from their historic significance. Buildings are altered to new functions for which they were not initially designed and built for. A change in the building or site function can easily transform the identity and users behaviour when within the new interior or space. Throughout this discussion I will be trying to address the relationship between a site’s identity and the alteration process using the adaptive reuse strategy.
Adaptive and Reuse/User Perceptions
Adaptive reuse is the process of changing a building’s function to accommodate the changing needs of its users. This strategy is investigated in Stewart Brand’s How Buildings Learn: What Happens after They’re Built (Penguin Books, New York 1995). This book also investigates what happens to buildings over time and how it can be reinterpreted into something new. These old buildings being reinvented often represent faded memories of the past and have large amounts of character that comes from age and use, which can’t be reinterpreted today. Adapting a building to suit a new need will alter the ...
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...es brings new life to the space and brings light to the sites past to the public, maybe not noticed before. I believe the thought of using these sites as artworks, changing the preconceptions of the users in the space, and provoking certain feelings is a necessary in the concept of design. It won’t be determined by what feelings are being provoked, whether these feelings are happy, scared, fearful, and uncomfortable or a sense of being a part of something like a community. New life for neglected sites and buildings will be able to transform these sites into spaces full of urban vibrancy. Spaces being transformed could be endless including communities, parks, streets, buildings and interiors. Communities who accept and adapt to the changes being made within the community lifestyle will benefit greatly from community spirit and perceptions of others in the community.
In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe writes how the arrival of the Christian missionaries in Umuofia intensify Okonkwo's internal conflict between changing as a new person and commit to the new changes by following the missionaries religion (which in the Igbo culture, it’s consider as being weak) vs. going his own way and follow the Igbo religion and be "manly". Okonkwo was a respected and honored man who had a lot of prosperity, but sadly his choice at the end of the book was to commit suicide. His choice had an negative impact on his clan because people look up to Okonkwo as an exemplary to the Igbo clan. Okonkwo find himself unable to adapt to the changing times as the white man comes to live among the Umuofians. As it becomes clear that you need to change to adapt to the changing society or fight for how it was before, Okonkwo realizes that he no longer can compliance the missionaries’ regulations and can’t do nothing about it, realize he can no longer can be able to function within his changing society.
It is important to understand that, many individuals believe that monuments play various roles within urban spaces. For instance, James Mellon (2008) understands the city as a work of art and expresses the notion of space, place and meaning in order to emphasize how place
The paper tries to identify the techniques applied in postmodern architecture in the similarities to traditionalism that leads to the revision of old knowledge and revival of traditional forms through tangible or intangible activities. The
Through the study of language in architecture, meaning is derived from signs and signifiers of which the human mind associates with programmatic identity, contributing to the viewer’s ability to interpret the thought and design process behind a buildings form, planning and aesthetic features . The case study of The Royal Ontario Museum Crystal Extension by Daniel Libeskind in 2007, Toronto, Canada, will be used to investigate the relationship of architectural language between the original and the new building. In particular, this paper examines the juxtaposition of two distinctly different styles of architecture and their ability to be read harmoniously as one and if this is a successful method for creating meaning, in reference to Robert Venturi’s
But these contrived differences give rise to esthetic difficulties too. Because inherent differences—those that come from genuinely differing uses—are lacking among the buildings and their settings, the contrivances repre...
In order to create innovative public architecture, considered to be the most civic, costly, time intensive and physical of the arts, the project holds a degree of risk, strife, and negotiation . Overcoming these tasks and creating worthy public architecture is a challenge designers try to accomplish, but are rarely successful. The people involved in a potential public building, can be larger than the building itself. Public architecture tries to please all, even the doubters and critics, but because of the all these factors, a building is closer to failing than succeeding.
The essence of modern architecture lays in a remarkable strives to reconcile the core principles of architectural design with rapid technological advancement and the modernization of society. However, it took “the form of numerous movements, schools of design, and architectural styles, some in tension with one another, and often equally defying such classification, to establish modernism as a distinctive architectural movement” (Robinson and Foell). Although, the narrower concept of modernism in architecture is broadly characterized by simplification of form and subtraction of ornament from the structure and theme of the building, meaning that the result of design should derive directly from its purpose; the visual expression of the structure, particularly the visual importance of the horizontal and vertical lines typical for the International Style modernism, the use of industrially-produced materials and adaptation of the machine aesthetic, as well as the truth to materials concept, meaning that the true nat...
Change should be seen as a challenge and embraced with enthusiasm (Marquis & Huston, 2012). In my professional and personal life, I view and respond to change as a way to make improvements to existing regulations and circumstances. I embark upon the quest with determination to succeed at whatever task is presented to me. Life without change can become unchallenging and stagnant (Marquis & Huston, 2012). As society and technology advance, you must incorporate the necessary transformations that arise with it.
Simon Unwin, the author of the book ‘Analysing Architecture’ says that the ‘the purpose of architecture is to design buildings’ is an unsatisfactory definition because the definition limits architecture to just the design of buildings. He feels that architecture involves more than just designing buildings. He also believes that the definition fails to explain the real purpose of architecture and transfers the problem of comprehending the word ‘architecture’ to the word ‘building’. This definition doesn’t go in-depth to analyze and understand the essence of architecture in our everyday lives. It fails to relate human life and needs to the buildings built.
Meijenfeldt, E. V., and Geluk, M. 2003. Below ground level: creating new spaces for contemporary architecture. Birkhauser
The design of a building, garment or object can impact greatly on the lives of millions, and change the way society functions and programs. In stating this, social change can also result in new designs and strategies to keep up with social needs and requirements. Design can either be an outcome of a change in society, or the cause of societal change. Designer George Nelson claims that ‘Design is a response to social change’; this essay will discuss both the impact that design has on social change and the influence social change has on design. Through analyzing different design and historical examples such as modern High-Rise buildings, new design developments, as well as graphic design due to the industrial revolution, it will be clear as to whether design is driven by societal change or vise versa. Along with stating this, there will also be thorough information on the evolution of toilets and progression of telephones over the years.
I am the kind of person who likes to be in an environment that doesn’t change to often. I’m not a fan of jumping into something new. Adapting to change is one of the hardest things for me and it is the one thing that I need to work on the most. Change happens all around us every day and I need to learn how to deal with it. Change can be good. Change can be bad. It’s just what I’m going to have to work on to become a better leader.
Jencks believes “the glass-and-steel box has become the single most used form in Modern Architecture and it signifies throughout the world ‘office building’” (27). Thus, modern architecture is univalent in terms of form, in other words it is designed around one out of a few basic values using a limited number of materials and right angles. In...
A city has to be beautiful, though the definition of “beauty” is so vague. The beauty can be physical, such as enjoyable parks, streetscapes, architectural facades, the sky fragment through freeways and trees; or it can be the beauty of livelihood, people, and history. As landscape architects, we are creating beautiful things or turning the unpleasant memorial.
Green buildings are not only designed for present use, but consideration is also been given to future uses as well. An adaptable structure can be "recycled" many times over the course of its useful life. If specific technical issues prevent use of the building for a new function, then the materials used in its construction are designed to facilitate ease of recycling and reprocessing of materials.