ADAPTIVE REUSE

The best way to conserve a heritage

building, structure or site is to use
it
Adaption links the past to the
present and project into the future

Himalya kaim
12642
Introduction
Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an old site or building for a purpose other than
which it was built or designed for. Along with brownfield reclamation, adaptive reuse is seen by
many as a key factor in land conservation and the reduction of urban sprawl. However adaptive
reuse can become controversial as there is sometimes a blurred line between renovation, facadism
and adaptive reuse. It can be regarded as a compromise between historic preservation and
demolition.

AMBLER BOILER HOUSE

Definition
Adaptive reuse deals with the issues of conservation and
heritage policies. Whilst old buildings become unsuitable
for their programmatic requirements, as progress in
technology, politics and economics moves faster than the
built environment,
adaptive reuse comes in as a sustainable option for the
reclamation of sites. In many situations, the types of
buildings most likely to become subjects of adaptive reuse
include: industrial buildings, as cities become gentrified and
the process of manufacture moves away from city; political
buildings, such as palaces and buildings which cannot
support current and future visitors of the site; and
community buildings such as churches or schools where the
use has changed over time.

The Hearst Tower

 Adaptive reuse is seen as an effective way of reducing urban sprawl and environmental
impact. By reusing an existing structure within a site, the energy required to create these
spaces is lessened, as is the material waste that comes from destroying old sites and
rebuilding using new materials. Through adaptive reuse old, unoccupied buildings can
become suitable sites for many different types of use.
Factors affecting adaptive reuse
Criteria for adaptive reuse
While the process of adaptive reuse is a decision
often made purely by companies establishing a
particular brand or presence, there are often criteria
for deciding whether a building should be conserved
and reused or just demolished for the area of land it
occupies. Some of these determining criteria include:
1.The societal value of a given site:
that is, the importance to the community of the use
of a site by community members or visitors.
2.The potential for the reuse of a particular site:
the physical damage sustained to the site and its support of
future use, the character of the existing site in terms of the
proposed reuse.
3.The historical importance of the site:
in terms of both the physicality of the street-scape and the
area, as well as of the role of the site in the communitys
understanding of the past.
4.The natural ecological conditions of the site:
whether the site is suitable climatically or can support the
proposed environmental work needed in the site.
Economic considerations
There are many outcomes that affect the economic return of adaptive reuse as an avenue to reuse of a
given site.
Factors such as the reuse of materials and resources as well as a lesser need to involve energy, both in
terms of labor and machine powered, can effectively decrease the monetary funds needed for
companies to establish sites.
However, there can be hidden costs in reusing old buildings such as the unknown contamination of
older sites, decay and disuse affecting the usability of a building, and the possible need for modification
of an older building to fit current and future building codes.
Advantages of adaptive reuse
One of these advantages is the sites location. In many cases, historical sites are often located in the
centers of large cities. Due to the spatial development of a given area, these buildings can often be
heritage-listed and therefore sold as an entity, rather than just for the land that they occupy, which
the new tenants then have to retrofit the building for their particular purpose.
Older buildings also often have a specific period character through the detailing and joinery of their
constructed eras that newer or reconstructed developments lack.
In certain cases such as the hospitality industry, the grand character of a site can influence the feel
of their building and are used for maximum potential to enhance the sites physical attractiveness to
a client.
Barriers to adaptive reuse
Adaptive reuse sometimes isnt the most viable option for all historic sites.
For some sites that have been left alone to decay by neglect, the physical damage of the site can
render the site unusable both in terms of the cost to repair the damage as well as unsafe by
government standards. Sites contaminated by old materials such as asbestos also become
unviable for the process of adaptive reuse.
 ArcelorMittal Orbit
Architect : Anish Kapoor
Location : London ,UK
Project Year : 2012
Area : 114.5 sqm
114-meter-tall tower

The ArcelorMittal Orbit is the first public artwork by Anish

Kapoor to be lit.
The feature lighting scheme encourages visitors into the Park
and the ArcelorMittal Orbit by creating a "must see" element to
the sculpture at night.
Arup's lighting designers, structural engineers and the architects collaborated
closely to ensure that the light projectors are all discreetly located within the
structure and carefully focused and aimed to minimize light spill onto the
ecologically sensitive area of the river corridor and limit sky glow.

Arup Electrical and Mechanical Engineers worked with the firm

lighting designers to integrate all services in a way that has ensured that
all cables and wirings are invisible.
the world's tallest and longest tunnel slide

Bblur architecture and Buro Happold are

responsible for executing the design
 The House of MG, Ahmedabad
This stately property, built in 1924 as a home for a wealthy textile magnate,
has been tastefully restored to retain its old-world charm but with all the
amenities and comforts of a world-class business hotel.
It has just fourteen rooms and suites, one service apartment, two acclaimed restaurants, a
conference lounge, an indoor swimming pool and a health club. There is also an in-house
design studio and gift shop that carries specially designed and hand-made items by
master-craftsmen of Ahmedabad and vicinity.
RAMSHEHER FORT RESORT
Nalagarh was the capital of the kingdom of Hindur founded by Raja Ajai Chand in 1100 A.D. It was ruled by the
Chandela Rajputs.

The Chandela kings were great patrons of art and architecture. Raja Ram Chandra, another illustrious ruler of the
same dynasty, was also a great builder who constructed the Ramgarh Fort (Now renamed as Ramshehar heritage
fort resort in Himachal by the present occupants) and the town of Ramshehar in 1540 AD

The Ramshehar Fort Resort has a series of structures that are mostly built in the Mughal style of architecture but
elements of Hindu and even the British architecture cannot be ignored. The Fort is located on a hillock at the
foothills of the mighty Himalayas affording a panoramic view of the Shivalik Hills beyond the Sirsa River.
The Ramshehar Heritage Resort combines rich hospitality and
a chance for tourists to revisit rich historical heritage of our
country. Land measuring 28 bighas 4 biswa has been acquired
for the resort with the due permission of government of
Himachal Pradesh.

The fort is under renovation and restoration since April 2010

under the the leadership of Sh.Parveen Bansal ,Chairman of
Abhimanyu Group. The project aims at not only restoring
Ramsheher fort (built in 1540 AD by Raja Ram Chandra of
Hindur) , but also creating modern facilities to make it attractive
from tourism purposes.

This resort will narrate the heritage of Himachal Pradesh where

one will find the saga of happiness, sorrow, love and betrayal, all
woven in the movements of time. This Historical fort will offer
guests a unique opportunity to enjoy the rich culture and ethos.
RAMSEHAR FORT
RESORT
A jail turns into a public park
Location: Bangalore India
Architect :Mathew & Ghosh

The jail was built in 1867 and was closed for

renovations after a new jail opened outside the city
in 2000. It remained unoccupied from the turn of
the millennium until 2008, when Bangalore-based
architecture firm Mathew & Ghosh reimagined the
jail as a park after a national competition run by the
Bangalore city corporation.
Their winning design retains many of the existing structures, repurposing them as heritage centers. Additions
include landscaping a full ten acres of the park and adding a 150-seat amphitheater in addition to an auditorium.
Here the architects were able to incorporate the central tower and the original entrance block as integral
components of the new park. Grouped into six broad categories, the park includes programs such as museums and
exhibitions, contemporary art spaces, retail, performance spaces, and water features. Recreational features include
childrens play areas, running tracks, and several childrens museums.
In contrast, abandoned prisons in already-well-appointed urban locations present an
opportunity for their creative reuse as retail, residential and hospitality spaces. If the
prison has historic architectural buildings or distinctive features, its revitalization has the
potential to attract tourists and specialized programs.
CINNAMON
A boutique store housed in a building from the 19th century
Location: Bangalore India
Architect :Mathew & Ghosh

During the Great Famine 1876-78, the miserable condition of the

orphans prompted Narrainswamy Mudaliar to setup an
orphanage. The foundation stone for the orphanage was laid by
His Excellency the Marquess of Lansdowne, the Viceroy and
Governor General of India on 23rd November 1892.

When the Plague struck the Mysore State during 1898-99 Narrainswamy
offered help to the relief stricken people. During the year 1900, when the
Deccan and Central Province were reeling under the ravages of the famine he
addressed the British Resident in Bangalore to send at least a few destitute
orphans. He offered to support 40 to 50 orphans and secure the lives of these
children. They were fed and clothed in the orphanage.
Located in the wetlands of the Halasuru lake (the site being
visibly in the extended flood plain of the lake in the 18th century
city maps) the soil condition had repercussions over the 120
years of age that it has now been for the structure. Firstly the
soil due to extreme clay content is prone to textural slippage
and also more prone to expansion and contraction of volume
due to change in sub soil water content / moisture.

Both the conditions affected the structure in the

The courtyard &
century long time of its existence. Both the
verandah slab edge
underground soil conditions caused stresses and
condition
unequal settlement thereby causing shear stresses
and toppling effects to different parts of the building.

The foundation was fractured and the corners of the

building (the four corners of the structure
extremities) began separating from the main body
elevations of the building. A further cause of the
subsoil condition deterioration has been the wearing
off of layers of soil blow the foundation due to the
open rain water drainage runoff that was flowing on Bulging and crumbling
the East and South of the immediate edges of the lime plaster and mud
sides of the building. mortar masonry
 To stabilize these corners a 2 pronged strategy was
deployed. Firstly to do underpinning to deter & stop
further effect of settlement due to fractures within the
foundation & to fill any soil hollows in their vicinity
which could cause further erosion of soil below.
Secondly to tie and stitch structurally the upper parts
of the structure at these 4 building corners to make
them into monolithic elements along with the entire
building.
The stitch was done in 2 complimentary ways one with
through stone slabs at cracks to counter compressive
forces and the second being with steel staples with
grouting laced alternately over the length of cracks and
further light lime mortar pressure grouted along the
cracks once done with the two ways of control.
BEFORE

The east facade looking North

The typical window module
- sealed & over protective The courtyard corner column

AFTER

Stone steps at the side access Wooden rafters at the entrance Stone steps at the side access
BEFORE

Arch with structural cracks Trees take root within the walls and Madras terrace Odd planning of rain water outlets

AFTER

Courtyard- with gravel Cinnamon store view at entrance courtyard

Stop Building. Start Reusing!

THANKYOU