Buildings grow old. When this happens, adaptive reuse can transform and reinvent them into something other than what they were intended for. A building’s second life could be dramatically different in application from its original use. A dilapidated church could become condos; a historic municipal building could be converted to a restaurant. Prolonging a building’s life from cradle-to-grave means all or most of its metal building system, including the structure, the envelope and even its interior materials can be used. This keeps geographical areas occupied, retains cultural heritage and reduces the consumption of building materials, resources, energy and water needed for new construction.
Metal can repurpose an existing building into something other than its designed use
An adaptive reuse project converted a 19th century Holy Trinity German Catholic Church and rectory into 33 luxury condos. PHOTO COURTESY OF CEI MATERIALS
Adaptive reuse is on the increase for a variety of reasons. “An existing building may be selected due to the location, cool factor of saving an older building and converting it into a modern use, and even to save money,” says Charles Hendricks, AIA, CSI, CDT, CAPS, CGP, LEED AP BD&C, principal architect at Gaines Group Architects, Charlottesville, Va. “If the existing building is in good structural condition and there is no need for remediation of lead or asbestos, keeping the existing building can reduce the overall construction budget and timeline. If the building is listed on the National Historic Register there can also be some tax incentives to preserve the original building.”
W. Scott Schellhase, AIA, NCARB, APA, LEED AP BD+C, vice president, SLS Partnership Inc., Lubbock, Texas, believes adaptive reuse is one of the best alternatives to new construction in terms of sustainability, building life renewal and environmental sensitivity to a community. “Many older buildings were constructed of combinations of masonry and steel/steel components. When left exposed, the buildings’ richness and character are exposed for all to see, touch and experience. Successful adaptive reuse projects have been able to marry the old—both in construction, but mainly in function—to the new functionality, the new purpose, with new materials that respectfully work hand in hand and create the new life of the building and the occupants.”
An adaptive reuse project transformed a five-story, outdated bank located in Owensboro, Ky., into an office building (below). PHOTO COURTESY OF AXIOM ARCHITECTURE
PHOTO COURTESY OF AXIOM ARCHITECTURE
PHOTO COURTESY OF AXIOM ARCHITECTURE
Schellhase contends buildings that have strength and character are in demand, especially so in downtown environments. “Many buildings are structurally sound, but no longer function for today’s building environment. Adaptive reuse bridges the existing building—it’s character and style—by renovating spaces for new uses, but retaining much of the original features of the original building’s structure, and making use of existing infrastructure: utilities, circulation systems for pedestrians and vehicles. Adaptive reuse can bring new business opportunities (i.e., retail, food services, housing or entertainment) back into downtown centers or even neighborhoods.”
ADAPTING WITH METAL
What’s unique about adaptively reusing metal building systems? Ben Grove, senior architect, AXIOM Architecture, Owensboro, Ky., believes metal panel systems work well for adaptive reuse because the panels not only come a variety of shapes and colors, but because of their lightweight they are less likely to compromise the existing structure. Schellhase cites metal’s ability to provide a visual cue of strength, prominence and longevity. “Using newer metal components, integrating with the old creates the new ‘genre’ of aesthetics and creates the paired interface of new and old,” he adds. “The sustainability factor for metal cannot be overlooked, the ability to even repurpose metal components in the adaptive reuse is vital.”
Jory Walker, principal architect and president of Beecher Walker, Holladay, Utah, says the first reuse step begins with creating a story for the building and what it wants to be. “You have to be consistent with the metal in use and function throughout the design. So many make the mistake, especially with metal, by using two to three colors and types, and it starts to feel like there are too many gumdrops on the building. In adaptive reuse, when you take an existing structure, you really need to figure out how to pull the new and old elements together for a cohesive design. Creating a common vocabulary for the metal, whether old or new, is imperative to creating that story.”
ADAPTIVE EXAMPLES
AXIOM Architecture used adaptive reuse to its fullest advantage when it transformed a five-story, outdated Owensboro bank (built in 1969) into an office building. The bank’s façade, interior partitions and building systems were completely removed and replaced.
Via adaptive reuse, Google is currently taking a Los Angeles shopping center and turning it into one of its offices (below).PHOTO COURTESY OF SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
PHOTO COURTESY OF HUDSON PACIFIC PROPERTIES
“Sitting in a prime location downtown, it had the square footage to attract a large business to the city but being so opaque and closed off to its surroundings, lacked the appeal as a place where people would want to work,” Grove says. “The decision was made that the opaque façade had to go, opening up full views from three sides, and ushering the building into the 21st century. With the building located on a busy street, the massive amount of demolition required consideration and planning, not only to be safe, but to make the least amount of impact on the remaining structure, and the surrounding streets. The shape of the vertical tower elements is a nod to the motif of the previous design.”
One of the more dramatic residential developments in Boston in recent years, and a very successful and prominent example of adaptive reuse, is the conversion of the 19th century Holy Trinity German Catholic Church and rectory into 33 luxury condos called The Lucas. It exemplifies how adaptive reuse allows for classic architecture to move into the 21st century with ease utilizing a variety of complementary techniques to showcase, rather than detract, from its original form. Architects at Boston-based Feingold Alexander Architects (FAA) retained many of the gothic structure’s features. “The approach reimagines a striking steel and glass contemporary design that rises out of the massive stone walls of the former church, while respecting the architectural and tectonic qualities of the original structure,” they add. The Lucas utilizes thousands of square feet of modern metal materials. It has an aluminum composite material panel rainscreen from Reynobond by Arconic Architectural Products USA Inc., Eastman, Ga. It also has Versa-Lok panels from ATAS International Inc., Allentown, Pa., insulated roof panels from Kingspan Insulated Panels Inc., Deland, Fla., and a curtainwall from Kawneer Co. Inc., Norcross, Ga. Manchester, Mich.-based CEI Materials was the project’s fabricator.
A Texas Instruments plant in Lubbock, Texas, that had manufactured calculators and had lay vacant for approximately 20 years, was adapted and reused as a day care facility (below) for over 350 children from 4 months to 6 years of age. Exterior metal panels from Houston-based MBCI with bright-tactile colors and surfaces were used with ribs running in different directions to allow the sunshade/shadow effects to play with the eye. New structural systems were supplied by Lubbock-based Beck Steel and Houston-based Vulcraft. PHOTO COURTESY OF W. SCOTT SCHELLHASE
PHOTO COURTESY OF W. SCOTT SCHELLHASE
A striking and towering example of adaptive metal reuse can be found outside of Draper, Utah’s Loveland Living Planet Aquarium. A piece of U2’s 360° World Tour set known as “The Claw” is making its permanent home there thanks to Beecher Walker architects. The 165-foot-tall engineering feat will crown its 9-acre Science Learning Campus expansion. The Claw traveled to 30 countries and has been displayed for 7.2 million people. “Since the 360° Tour concluded in 2011, we’ve been vetting potential sites for the permanent placement of The Claw,” says Craig Evans, U2 Tour Director. “It’s bittersweet to see it go, but we are pleased it’s going to enhance the mission and vision of Loveland Living Planet Aquarium as part of its expanded campus.” Underground, beneath The Claw’s stage, a highly detailed thematic experience called the Eco Command Center will combine elements from escape rooms, simulators and team building activities.
Overall, Hendricks says he has learned that for adaptive reuse projects the most important thing is to build a team of trusted professionals. “Since [it] often includes surprise conditions found during the demolition phase, I think it is extremely important to retain the architect outside of the construction team. This adds a layer of protection for the building owner when change orders start, which on a adaptive reuse project is bound to happen.”
A rendering of the Living Planet Aquarium’s new Science Learning Center addition, outdoor pathways and “The Claw.” IMAGE COURTESY OF LOVELAND LIVING PLANET AQUARIUM AND BEECHER WALKER ARCHITECTS