Adaptive Reuse, the future to a sustainable environment
An attractive solution to the problem of rapid urbanisation, and towards a sustainable development leading to urban regeneration that this era is calling out for is the adaptive reuse of existing structures by repurposing them for today’s needs.
Starting from a clean slate, as John Locke’s theory of Tabula Rasa suggests, it would take experience to build on our perception and understanding of a subject, or even perceive the world we live in at present. It sounds as frightening as starting a design from scratch, where the first line crucially defines how the plan is going to evolve from that point moving forward. As liberating as it is to design a structure from start to finish and watch it take shape, repurposing an existing structure for new use, although perceived as a subjugating task is quite challenging and freeing when one works in coherence with the restrains that aids to conceptualise the design rather easily.
I believe adaptive reuse is an eclectic practise as it derives its form formerly and uses ideas from different and diverse sources to create the final edifice. It stays true to the statement by Stewart Brand – “Architects can mature from being artists of spaces to becoming artists of time”.
I also believe that a study of vernacular architecture is essential to create the contemporary pieces of monuments created today, and masterminds like Anupama Kundo and Vinu Daniel are born to create timeless architecture that are a blessing to mother earth, and help root us back to the ground!
In relation to this, I think adaptive reuse follows five main principles:
In context to the above, below is a study of an adaptive reuse project undertaken by my previous practice at Chandroo Iyer Associates that I was lucky enough to study and visit myself.
Based in Sandur, an iron-rich town located not too far from Hampi, a world heritage site known for its lofty ruins, the Shivavilas Palace is home to many tourists who are looking to experience Indian Royalty and lost heritage.
The existing structure formed the basic fabric to be repurposed with minimal damage to it and its surrounding context, whilst sustainability simultaneously played a major role.
The proposal retained its authenticity and celebrated its originality to deliver a dramatic experience to its visitors and the clients who had a personal attachment to the palace as it was a treasured inheritance. Whilst it catered to the needs of a hotel guest, the design in every aspect was as authentic as it could be. So much so, it also accommodated the futuristic needs of the spaces with minimal alterations that created a massive impact.
The magnified floor plan as illustrated below depicts the minimal changes to repurpose the palace to satisfy the proposed function.
On a more personal note, I savored every element of the monument as it retained its original architectural elegance as I experienced it like royalty when walking through those airy corridors that overlooked the green courtyard.
It was most definitely an immersive experience that took me back in time, although I feel like I kept time traveling because, at the end of the day, it was a hotel that homed in my needs as a hotel guest, yet it remained to be truly a monumental experience!
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