This study investigates the adaptive reuse of abandoned historic churches. Since churches serve as cultural heritage symbols, the public becomes concerned with maintaining the historic integrity of these buildings. More so, this phenomenon is accentuated when the church is recognized as a historic building by the National Register of Historic Places. Yet, more and more churches are abandoned due to decreases in congregation size and financial constraints that limit the maintenance of the churches. Adaptive reuse projects of these abandoned churches are often initiated to save and preserve these buildings. This research focuses on the question: What is the public perception of critical architectural features of a historic church when it is adapted to a new function (new building type)? To support the importance of this question, the study integrates two major bodies of knowledge. The first body of literature is research conducted in cognitive science focusing on human perception of environments. The second body of literature is on historic preservation with a focus on adaptive reuse. The integration of these literature reviews is further demonstrated in the analysis of examples of past and recent adaptive reuse projects of religious buildings. Following this investigation, a conceptual model was developed to illustrate how research variables and hypotheses were made based on the findings from this literature review. To test the research question and its hypotheses, two prototypes of historic churches were developed. Then, typologies of changes in the important architectural features (interior volume and light quality) of the churches were constructed from examples of adaptively reused historic churches listed in the National Register of Historic Places. These typologies were developed to represent various building types (e.g., community/ cultural, institutional, commercial, and residential). Finally, an experiment was conducted to test public perceptions of acceptable and desirable degree of each reuse and the degree of retaining religious origins by use of these typologies. The findings of this research illustrate the importance of public perception and building type in adaptive reuse projects. This in turn provides theoretical and practical implications for adaptive reuse projects in the field of historic preservation.

This study investigates the adaptive reuse of abandoned historic churches. Since churches serve as cultural heritage symbols, the public becomes concerned with maintaining the historic integrity of these buildings. More so, this phenomenon is accentuated when the church is recognized as a historic building by the National Register of Historic Places. Yet, more and more churches are abandoned due to decreases in congregation size and financial constraints that limit the maintenance of the churches. Adaptive reuse projects of these abandoned churches are often initiated to save and preserve these buildings. This research focuses on the question: What is the public perception of critical architectural features of a historic church when it is adapted to a new function (new building type)? To support the importance of this question, the study integrates two major bodies of knowledge. The first body of literature is research conducted in cognitive science focusing on human perception of environments. The second body of literature is on historic preservation with a focus on adaptive reuse. The integration of these literature reviews is further demonstrated in the analysis of examples of past and recent adaptive reuse projects of religious buildings. Following this investigation, a conceptual model was developed to illustrate how research variables and hypotheses were made based on the findings from this literature review. To test the research question and its hypotheses, two prototypes of historic churches were developed. Then, typologies of changes in the important architectural features (interior volume and light quality) of the churches were constructed from examples of adaptively reused historic churches listed in the National Register of Historic Places. These typologies were developed to represent various building types (e.g., community/ cultural, institutional, commercial, and residential). Finally, an experiment was conducted to test public perceptions of acceptable and desirable degree of each reuse and the degree of retaining religious origins by use of these typologies. The findings of this research illustrate the importance of public perception and building type in adaptive reuse projects. This in turn provides theoretical and practical implications for adaptive reuse projects in the field of historic preservation.

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The current model of complete separation between different industries, buildings and the public, hampers growth and sustainable development within the city. If connections can be identified between several related programmatic elements, can these work together to share and build common resources that benefit all parties involved? The showgrounds in Pretoria West currently exist as a void in the urban fabric, A large part of its infrastructure built for, and is now mostly only used for the annual Jacaranda Show that will now longer take place there. The role of the agricultural show within the city, however, remains a meaningful part of how the public interacts with the agricultural industry. In order to prevent the loss of this relationship and the heritage of the showgrounds, how can a new development around the existing Champion ring retain this role as well as build on the concept of connecting related industries and the public? The main aim of this dissertation is to investigate how architecture can address the interface between the livestock industry, research, education and the public, so that the collaboration between such programs will result in a reduced environmental impact and be of mutual benefit. / Mini Dissertation (MArchProf)--University of Pretoria, 2018. / Architecture / MArch(Prof) / Unrestricted

It is a favorite canon of preservation architects that soon 95% of work will deal with an existing construct in some manner. Reasons for this include the public's affinity toward old and historic buildings, and the utter lack of undeveloped sites in urban areas. This thesis is directed toward creating a methodology in which to define the intervention and interaction between new to existing. The general attitude toward history and existing buildings is quite divisive. Typically architects demolish existing buildings or they attempt to preserve every detail and facet of a "historical" building. The National Historic Trust, apart of the Department of Interior, provides loose guidelines with which to guide an intervention or to otherwise treat a "historic" edifice. Carlo Scarpa is one architect who has finely honed the ability to interact and intervene. / Master of Architecture

This project examines the adaptive reuse of a disused nineteenth century textile mill building in Gilbertville, Massachusetts. While the original form and structure of the building type was conducive to maximum production of goods, contemporary uses require different forms. Although other mills in New England have been reused for housing, museums, or professional offices, my goal was to propose a program that related to the building’s original function as a place where people worked. Because the unemployment rate is rising in Massachusetts in 2010, I propose that the mill be reused as a training center where people learn green building techniques that they can use in their jobs. The form of this project is guided by environmental responses to the annual and daily solar paths. Primary among these responses is the conversion of the broad, south-facing masonry wall to a trombe wall system. Similarly, a south-facing light scoop is used on the north side to provide light and heat; shading devices are used throughout the building to prevent overheating.

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Wooden grain elevators are purely functional buildings that store, dry, and move grain. These buildings were first introduced to the Canadian Prairies at the turn of the twentieth century and quickly became an icon, sometimes referred to as the cathedral of the prairies. With the improvement of production and technology the number of wooden grain elevators have dramatically decreased. A portion of the Trans Canada Trail in Western Manitoba, that was once a rail line, is investigated to establish a deeper understanding of the eleven remaining elevators and their context. The intention of this practicum is to re-envision the role of these grain elevators and to incorporate them into a regional narrative. A proposed design is developed to save the remaining elevators focusing on ideas of memory, growth, and identity in order to connect communities and visitors to the landscape’s past, present, and future. / February 2017

Adaptive reuse, as an alternative approach to the treatment of existing old buildings and urban areas, is being received more concerns in contemporary China. Taking Shanghai as an example, this thesis attempts to assess the practice of reuse of historical buildings in the urban context of Shanghai from 1990 to 2008. / In this research, the practice of adaptive reuse is studied with a focus on improving dynamic urban life through giving old buildings an advisable new use. With the aim of finding out what makes a lively and dynamic city, I employ the theory of city diversity from Jane Jacobs into my research as a theoretical basis to be tested in the research. / These investigations of Shanghai were conducted during a fieldwork in Shanghai. The case includes three types, which are respectively located in different areas in contemporary Shanghai. The first one is an alteration and upgrading of old industrial buildings on the waterfront. The second is a reuse of clusters of commercial buildings built in the colonial era on the Bund, with the ‘Bund 18’ building as a critical example. The third one is an urban renewal through adaptive reuse of traditional residential buildings in an inner city area, with a focused study on the Xintiandi area. / Through empirical analysis of these three cases, I try to examine the relationship between the buildings transformed through adaptive reuse and the urban surroundings in terms of participation or use by the various urban populations, and further explore how adaptive reuse may contribute to the generation and sustaining of diverse urban life in the urban context. / We may assume that the relationship between the city and the user is linked by urban activities, and that diversity of urban life can contribute to the healthy growth of cities. Given these assumptions, the empirical studies in this thesis suggest that the principal condition in adaptive reuse of historical buildings, for generating diverse and active urban life, is a potential in the old buildings to be ‘divided’. This includes ‘divisions’ of space, function and the category of users. Consequently, the design principles, as I would propose at the end of this study, are as follows: extracting spatial potential, creating mixed and small-scale businesses, and expanding categories of users to attract participation of a broad spectrum of the population with a diverse social background. Based on this, the practice of adaptive reuse of historical buildings can help reviving a close and dynamic relationship between the user and the physical setting, people and the city, facilitating the generation and sustaining of a diverse and healthy urban life.

Detroit is just one example of a post-industrial city that has been struggling with the decline of the American industrial economy. In the past 100 years, Detroit city has gone from one of the largest and most promising cities in the world to a widely vacant, run down, and crippled metropolis. A shell of its former self, Detroit has become the poster child for all the problems that many North American cities experience, including: pollution, crime, urban sprawl, suburban flight and struggling education systems. Among others, these deterrents have driven Detroit residents from their homes and left the City largely abandoned. Since the mid 1950s the population has fallen from 1,900,000 to 713,000 in 2010. Enrolment in Detroit public schools has fallen from approximately 300,000 in 1966 to 52,000 in 2012. Today there are an estimated 40 square miles of vacant land and more still with abandoned buildings plaguing the landscape. This thesis asks the question of how best to utilize abandoned public schools as an asset for the neighbourhoods of Detroit. Once symbols of hope and prosperity these vacant schools located in the heart of many struggling neighbourhoods, now serve as a reminder of the disparity and blight that plagues Detroit. The adaptive reuse of abandoned schools as community driven educational centres, with a focus on urban agriculture, can lead the way towards self-sufficient neighbourhoods that allow residents to challenge the social and economic paradigm that is Detroit. The subject of this thesis concerns the transforming of burdens in a blighted city into the assets needed to improve the quality of life for distressed citizens. This thesis argues that this is possible by formulating an architectural response utilizing existing abandoned schools and vacant land to nurture a growing Urban Agriculture initiative that has the potential to play a role in the rebuilding of city neighbourhoods.