Renovation and reuse of existing buildings represents an increasingly large part of the design and construction market in the United States, particularly in urban areas. Whether office buildings or historic houses, academic, commercial or industrial buildings, existing buildings, in comparison with new construction, can offer significant social, sustainable, technical and economical advantages.
This course approaches the subject of adaptive reuse through the understanding of the potentials, rules and regulations pertaining to existing buildings. This course examines the adaptability of existing structures, forms of interventions and the feasibility of reuse as defined by construction regulations, theory, intervention approaches and practice.
Alongside the structure of IEBC, the seminar develops an integral understanding of the design and construction of adaptive reuse projects as they relate to social-, economical-, and technical issues. The semester will be based upon lectures, discussions with specialists in the field and cas studies of completed projects in adaptive reuse to demonstrate the principles of design and construction within the context of existing structures.
Through this course, students develop an understanding for the design process necessary to collaborate with other professionals in implementing adaptive reuse in the design profession. The couse will be held in form of lectures, readings, assignments and discussions. Peer to peer presentations, review, critic and discussion will be an integral part of this class.
Through the process of writing a paper and creating a related cas study, students will engage in research and critical thinking. Students will develop their own topics of interest into research topics and problems, create an argument and develop their verbal, visual and written presentation skills. Studies will include field trips, investigations into recent projects, presentations and discussions with experts in the field. Assigned projects through the semester require the understanding and implementation of these practices and regulations on projects of adaptive reuse.
Principle of Adaptive Reuse 