Adaptive Reuse

Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an old site or building for a purpose other than which it wasbuilt 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. 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. 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; 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. 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. 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 community’s understanding of the past. The natural ecological conditions of the site; whether the site is suitable climatically or can support the proposed environmental work needed in the site. Kelso Home building a classic candidate for adaptive reuse being razed to accommodate the parking lot of a new athletic facility Economic considerations There has been much debate on the economic possibilities and viability of adaptive reuse as different corporations and companies seek to find sustainable ways to approach their corporate or retail sites. There are many outcomes that affect the economic return of adaptive reuse as an avenue to a company’s use 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 labour 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 as well as the possible need for modification of an older building to fit current and future building codes. With each project, the economic costs differ from project, to project and some professionals go as far as to assert that new build is always more economical, and renovation is universally more expensive, due to their own involvement with adaptive reuse projects. Others claim that the return on investment is enhanced when using an older building, because of the savings involved. One Canadian developer claims that reusing buildings generally represents a saving of between 10-12% over building new. In terms of profitability, there are also the assertions that adaptive reuse projects often have an uncertainty to their profitably, that newer developments lack. When looking for funding to build, these considerations must be addressed. With many heritage sites on the agenda for government agencies, there are, a number of financial incentives provided in order to increase the use of older sites in many countries. In the provinces of Canada, some municipalities offer financial encouragement for heritage development such as, the City of Waterloo who waived the development charges for the Seagram Lofts that have been estimated to be around $700,000. Governing bodies also benefit from the reuse of once abandoned sites as once occupied, they generate tax revenue and therefore often recover the initial investment. Advantages of adaptive reuse With the debate of adaptive reuse as a sustainable avenue in the development of key sites, there are many advantages to using certain sites for redevelopment. Some of these advantages include the site’s 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 site’s physical attractiveness to a client. The benefits of adaptively reusing heritage buildings: Environmental Adaptive reuse of buildings has a major role to play in the sustainable development of Australian communities. When adaptive reuse involves historic buildings, environmental benefits are more significant, as these buildings offer so much to the landscape, identity and amenity of the communities they belong to. One of the main environmental benefits of reusing buildings is the retention of the original building’s “embodied energy”. The CSIRO defines embodied energy as the energy consumed by all of the processes associated with the production of a building, from the acquisition of natural resources to product delivery, including mining, manufacturing of materials and equipment, transport and administrative functions. By reusing buildings, their embodied energy is retained, making the project much more environmentally sustainable than entirely new construction. New buildings have much higher embodied energy costs than buildings that are adaptively reused. In 2001, new building accounted for about 40 per cent of annual energy and raw materials consumption, 25 per cent of wood harvest, 16 per cent of fresh water supplies, 44 per cent of landfill, 45 per cent of carbon dioxide production and up to half of the total greenhouse emissions from industrialised countries. The Australian Greenhouse Office notes that the reuse of building materials usually involves a saving of approximately 95 per cent of embodied energy that would otherwise be wasted. In this context the reuse of heritage buildings makes good sense. Social Keeping and reusing historic buildings has long-term benefits for the communities that value them. When done well, adaptive reuse can restore and maintain the heritage significance of a building and help to ensure its survival. Rather than falling into disrepair through neglect or being rendered unrecognisable, heritage buildings that are sympathetically recycled can continue to be used and appreciated. Increasingly, communities, governments and developers are seeking ways to reduce the environmental, social and economic costs of continued urban development and expansion. We are realising that the quality and design of the built environment in our towns and cities are vital to our standard of living and our impact upon natural resources. In the context of local government planning, heritage has merged with more general environmental and quality-of-life concerns in recent years. Communities increasingly recognise that future generations will benefit from the protection of certain places and areas, including heritage places. Our lifestyle is enhanced not just from the retention of heritage buildings, but from their adaptation into accessible and useable places. The reuse of heritage buildings in established residential areas can provide the community with new housing and commercial property opportunities. In the greater Sydney region, for example, a number of large publicly owned sites containing heritage buildings are being redeveloped including the former Parramatta, Lidcombe, and Rozelle Hospitals. Location, access and public transport availability will always attract developers, and the size of the sites, and variety of and Winnipeg. Town planners and councils that recognise and promote the benefits of adaptive reuse of heritage buildings. BY LOCATION Canada Adaptive reuse is not the norm in Canada. As development pressures increase in our cities. The study also concluded that “these sympathetic adaptive re-use schemes have created commercially viable investment assets for the owners”. was entirely adapted from the old Gooderham & Worts distillery. Calgary and Edmonton are particularly known for their pro-demolition culture. they have anecdotally been popular because of their originality and historic authenticity. Calgary. a neighbourhood in the city's southeast side. The conversion of former railway-centred warehouse districts to residential and commercial uses has occurred in Edmonton. adaptive use has gained traction in Canada. will be contributing to the livability and sustainability of their communities. Saskatoon. more heritage buildings are being reused. While there is no definitive research on the market appeal of reused heritage buildings.buildings available for reuse mean that a good mix of dwelling types can be offered. For some sites that have been left alone to decay by neglect. However. since the 1990s. then. Regina. Sites contaminated by old materials such as asbestos also become unviable for the process of adaptive reuse. with broad appeal to buyers as a result. adaptive reuse sometimes isn’t the most viable option for all historic sites. producing some excellent examples of creative designs that retain heritage significance. Economic There are several financial savings and returns to be made from adaptive reuse of historic buildings. Embodied energy savings from not demolishing a building will only increase with the predicted rise of energy costs in the future. 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. where redevelopment has historically meant demolition and building anew. but they are not unique in this regard. A study for the NSW Heritage Council that included four adaptive reuse or redevelopment sites revealed that “the combination of financial incentives and the commercially oriented nature of the adaptive reuse schemes outweighed any extra heritage related costs and project risks”. the Distillery District. In Toronto. Other prominent re-uses include the Candy Factory on Queen Street West and the Toy . Barriers to adaptive reuse As mentioned above. Promoting innovation The adaptation of heritage buildings presents a genuine challenge to architects and designers to find innovative solutions. the Watermill Center in Long Island. . United States Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco was the first major adaptive reuse project in the United States. In American city neighbourhoods that have seen racial and ethnic demographic changes over the last century. an upscale neighbourhood established in the 1990s. sites such as the old Sydney Mint have been renovated and adapted into inner-city headquarters for the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales. and can be prominently seen in the left-field corner of that ballpark. The Pratt Street Power Plant in Baltimore was converted to offices. features warehouses and other small-industrial structures and spaces converted into apartments and offices for the gentrification of the area." the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. Old Port. opening in 1964. Callow hill in Philadelphia and Soma in San Francisco are being transformed into residential neighbourhoods through this process. there have been a number of adaptive reuse projects as the main cites have turned from industrial areas into areas of high value and business areas. office. a restaurant and rooftop bleachers. Other museums adapted from old factories include "MassMOCA. Australia In Australia. loft housing is one prominent result of adaptive reuse projects. some houses of worship have been converted for other religions. working class area into a gentrified area with high house prices has helped a number of adaptive reuse sites to exist within such an area. luxury rental suites. In the United States. the historic brick structure of the Western Metal Supply Co. In San Diego. The movement of the city from an industrial. and tourist destination. a firm specializing in adaptive re-use in Toronto and elsewhere.Factory. in the city's Liberty Village district. historically used as points for industrial production and transport. In Sydney. Formerly-industrial areas such as the Meatpacking District in New York City. and its southeast corner serves as the ballpark's left field foul pole. New York. Station Square in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania is an example of a mile-long former Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad terminal and headquarters being converted into a retail. This transformation is sometimes associated with gentrification. A large number of brick mill buildings in the Northeast United States have undergone mill conversion projects. the old Hyde Park Barracks building has also been transformed from an old jail into a museum which documents and records the history of Australia’s first settlers and convicts. building at 7th Avenue (between K and L Streets) was preserved and incorporated into the design of PETCO Park. especially in the Northeast and Midwest. and restaurants. hotel. An example of adaptive reuse conversion to office space are The Hilliard Mills. both done by Quadrangle Architects. Montreal's Griffintown. are now selling-points for home buyers and renters. and The Dia Art Foundation Museum in upstate New York. and Lachine Canal areas all feature ex-industrial areas that have been reused or will do so in the future on current plans. Urban waterfronts. It now houses the team's flagship gift shop. the new baseball-only ballpark of the San Diego Padres. California. Vancouver's Yaletown. and some others have been converted into residences. retail. Some such sites include. the Tate Modern takes full advantage of the site of the former Bankside Power Station. and space for temporary exhibitions and fashion shows. France. a fine dining restaurant. the main forms of adaptive reuse have been around former palaces and unused residences of the different European royal families into publicly accessible galleries and museums. The restoration plan also envisages textile galleries. a conversion of a former grain silo and the South Australian site of the Balhannah Mines which was adapted into a private residence and has received awards from the Housing Industry Association and the Design Institute of Australia. cafés. boutiques. Nonda Katsalidis’ Malthouse apartments in Richmond. In Paris. has become part of the National Maritime Museum and houses the museum's fine art collection. located on 16 acres in central Mumbai. Rachel Whiteread and Ai Weiwei. Also. recycle and reduce – have come into greater focus. a museum shop. The plan draws attention to the concept of adaptive re-use of heritage structures that have deteriorated over the years due to lack of maintenance and lost their charm. the India United 2&3 Textile Mills. and design. a former royal residence built around 1614. This is a change that has been welcomed in a city where many such mills have been sold to private developers and suffered the wreckers’ hammers. This project received 2007 Lensvelt de Architect interior design award for its innovative reuse and is number one on The Guardian's worldwide top ten bookstores list. The wide industrial space has proven to be a worthy backdrop to modern art. especially in the realms of private residences and community based buildings. in London. with the famous turbine hall hosting artists including Olafur Eliasson. India An option for threatened heritage structures? The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai is planning the constructive re-use of one of the largest textile complexes in the country. green buildings.The industrial history of Australia has also been an influencing factor in determining the types of buildings and areas which have gone on to become adaptive reuse sites. a former palace built in the late 12th century under Philip II and opened to the public as a museum in 1793. also in London is another example of adaptive reuse in the European continent. the most famous example of adaptive reuse is the Musée du Louvre. Europe In Europe. Many of the spaces have been restored with period finishes and display different collections of art. housing galleries of historic costumes. the Queen's House. 30. traditional textiles. Sustainable architecture. carbon footprints are common terms in . England. abandoned power station. which involved the refurbishment of the old. looms. With increasing awareness of environmental and heritage concerns.000 sq m of industrial space here is to be transformed into a Textile Mill Museum. Other famous adaptive reuse sites in Europe include the Maastricht branch of the Selexyz chain in the Netherlands. The Tate Modern. an auditorium. the three Rs – re-use. unlike other adaptive reuse galleries in Europe. and a permanent exhibit on the history of the textile mills and the life of the mill workers. a crafts centre. she adds. The State Bank of India and the General Post Office on First Line Beach can be imaginatively put to better use. It is necessary to build new databases and develop protocols to reduce or manage procedural tangles in the case of heritage buildings. which are still being used and are well maintained. Chennai is home to various heritage buildings and precincts whose future is uncertain. Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) is one of the tools that can be used.” Srivathsan strongly feels that it is necessary for the PWD. But isn’t reuse an option? K. The concept of the adaptive re-use of heritage buildings is yet to catch on in India.” he urges. which maintains most Government buildings. When it comes to private owners it is important that incentives and technical help are extended by Government. “Amethyst. architect. says.architecture today. Structures that are still in usable condition must be made use of in the way they were intended to be. the Bharat Insurance Building. how many cities have actually considered re-using old heritage buildings? Demolition is usually considered an easier option. The question of re-using buildings is an option you can resort to for buildings which have gone out of use due to their misuse and lack of maintenance. “We need to look at the re-use of heritage structures in the right perspective. Kalpana. to build up capacity to restore the heritage buildings that are Government-owned. Some of them are Fort St George. However. restaurants and boutiques. conservation architect and an INTACH member who was part of the team that restored Senate House. for instance. Like the old colonial houses in Pondicherry. she points out. . recommends A. At the end of the day. the PWD personnel are not well trained for specialised conservation jobs. however.” The Bharat Insurance Building. Heritage bungalows unfit for residential use can be transformed into chic cafés. he says. has several offices and meeting halls and it can be used for the same purposes even today. But there are other alternatives too. Another hurdle is the PWD protocols that only recognise standardised specification. Senate House and the Buckingham and Carnatic Mills. “While they are good at repair and regular maintenance. These remain neglected and a couple are considered fit only for demolition. he adds. rates and construction procedures. like tax concessions. Gokhale Hall. Fab India on Wood’s Road and Krishna Sweets in Purasawalkam are good examples of this. There has been greater awareness compared to 10-15 years ago when it comes to such restoration. mainstream construction practices must be more responsive to the needs of heritage buildings. Srivathsan. RAJASTHAN. .TIJARA FORT.RESTORATION FOR ADAPTIVE REUSE AS HERITAGE HOTEL. 000 sq ft converted to a retail facility and is a clever adaptive reuse project which have been popular in Mumbai’s former mill sprawls. a 15th-century fort. politics and economics restructures itself faster than the built environment. has been restored for adaptive reuse as a heritage hotel Le Mill. one of Mumbai’s multifunctional. as progress in technology. Le Mill is housed in a former rice mill right in the middle of the city’s tenacious dock area covering 15. . lifestyle concept stores opened a few months back. adaptive reuse comes in as a sustainable option for the reclamation of sites with more affordability.Image: Neemrana Fort Palace. Rajasthan. When old buildings become unsuitable for their programmatic intentions. India. a positive one. .The designer has kept the structural additions to a minimum and maintained the rafters and high ceiling from the original space. It’s dramatic and we do away with an additional layer of false ceiling. Flooring is exposed concrete with just a hint of gloss with a semi-finished polish. Its incompleteness makes a statement. The industrial feel is completed with exposed HVAC ducts and ceiling-hung light fixtures. . which was used as a Police Station. has now become a center of Police History. The Museum exhibits the history of World Police.Kollam is fortunate to have gone to the annals of history to have the first Police Museum in India. Indian Police and Kerala Police. It is an excellent initiative to conserve the architectural heritage of Kerala by adaptive reuse of a hundred year old inn. with four courtyards. so that the Impressionist paintings could be enjoyed in more spacious surroundings.Musee d'Orsay Architect Gae Aulenti Location Paris. By the mid eighties the new museum was up and running. its original function being a railway station. It was decided that a new museum be built in Paris. By the mid 70s the Louvre was becoming extremely overcrowded. France map Date 1980 to 1987 timeline Building Type historical art museum. This was due to the fact that the grand space could no longer accomodate the ever increasing lengths of train carriages of the day. The French government at the time gave its approval and support for the former railway station's conversion into a museum. Climate temperate Context urban riverside Style Modern The Gare D'Orsay was built in 1900. adaptive reuse Construction System bearing masonry. By 1969. etc. with an uncertain future looming over it. . the building was closed to the public. and continues into the highest elevations of the former hotel. Philippon. which is overlooked by the terraces of the intermediate level. The museum's specific exhibition spaces and different facilities are distributed throughout the three levels the pavilion Amont. .these in turn opening up into additional exhibition galleries.. his prophecy was fulfilled. Eighty-six years later. Mr." wrote the painter Edouard Detaille in 1900. over the rue de Bellechasse. the Café des Hauteurs. Colboc and Mr. and transformed the magnificent glass awning into the museum's entrance. made up of Mr.. The museum has been organized on three levels: on the ground floor. The transformation of the station into a museum was accomplished by ACT architecture group. galleries are distributed on either side of the central nave. The project highlighted the great hall. and would respect Laloux's architecture while nonetheless reinterpreting it according to its new function. the glass walkway of the former station's western pinion. Bardon. the bookstore and the auditorium. which covers the length of the quai. Their project was chosen in 1979 out of six propositions. The top floor is installed above the lobby."The station is superb and looks like a palais des beaux~arts. the museum restaurant (installed in the dining hall of the former hotel). using it as the main artery of the visit. Victor Laloux ended up designing the railway station. planned to build a more central terminus station on the site of the ruined Palais d'Orsay. the entire neighbourhood was burnt down. Marguerite de Valois. The construction of the quai d'Orsay began in 1708 near the Pont Royal. In 1897. who. The aristocratic vocation of the neighbourhood was definitively imposed at the end of the 18th century when the Hôtel de Salm (today the Museum of the Legion of Honor) was built between 1782 and 1788. Emile Bénard and Victor Laloux. During the violence of what is known as La Commune in 1870. in the end it housed the Cour des Comptes (Court of Accounts) and the Conseil d'Etat (State Council). and private mansions continued to build up the neighborhood. Upon her death in 1615. in time for the exhibition. Tea room On the eve of the 1900 World's Fair. the property was sold by lots. the company consulted three architects: Lucien Magne. built between 1810 and 1838 successively by Jean-Charles Bonnard and Jacques Lacornée. a proposition from the ICOMOS Charter for the Protection of Buildings. two buildings stood upon the site of the future Orsay station : the Cavalry barracks and the Palais d'Orsay. disadvantaged by the remote location of their Austerlitz station. The redevelopment of the building was undertaken between 1980 to 1987 The rue de Lille was once the central lane of the garden belonging to Henri IV's famous queen. the French government ceded the terrain to the Orleans railroad company.The building is a fine example of Adaptive Re-use. . and was completed a century later under Napoleon I's Empire. For thirty years the carbonized ruins of the Palais d'Orsay served as reminders of the horrors of civil war. while on the banks of the Seine a port known as the Grenouillière served as a resting place for lumber barges and other cargo. it was built in 6 months. During the 19th century. Although the Palais had originally been planned for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. . Monguzzi and J. With Italo Rota. Piero Castiglioni (lighting consultant) and Richard Peduzzi (architectural consultant). not without having played a historic role : the General de Gaulle held the press conference announcing his return to power in its ballroom (the Salle des Fêtes). 1973. benefitted instead from the revival of interest in nineteenth-century architecture and was listed on the Supplementary Inventory of Historical Monuments on March 8. This installation brings the immesurable space of the former station down to size. in particular by using a homogeneous stone covering for the floors and walls. The President of the Republic. in which all of the arts from the second half of the 19th century would be represented. In 1975. Widmer. inaugurated the new museum on December Ist. as is artificial light.The hotel closed its doors on January 1st. 1977. threatened with destruction and replacement by a large modern hotel complex. 1986. The official decision to build the Musée d'Orsay was taken during the interministerial council of October 20. natural light is used. The building was classified a Historical Monument in 1978 and a civil commission was created to oversee the construction and organization of the museum. The station. in order to allow the variations in intensity which are needed according to the different works of art presented. the Direction des Musées de France already envisioned installing a new museum in the train station. Francois Mitterrand. Gae Aulenti succeeded in creating a unified presentation amidst such a large diversity of volumes. The signage was conceived by B. The interior design of the museum was conceived by a team of scenographers and architects directed by Gae Aulenti. on President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's initiative. As for the lighting. and it opened to the public on December 9th. 1973. . The four houses being too small in themselves had to be redesigned and interconnected to accommodate more facilities to suite the requirements of an office. the five houses were segregated into two clusters namely four interconnected houses and the fifth with a large yard as garden around. while following the policy of least intervention with the existing structure in conservation. dining spaces. restrooms and toilets. like office rooms. pantries. meeting halls. Thus came the decision to connect the houses through common amenities.Five Houses on the Goldsmith’s Street With the requirement of providing office space for the different NGOs operating from this region. The restoration was done considering two important concepts of conservation namely use of like-for-like and policy of least intervention. Before and after pictures House 1 . House 2 House 3 House4 . 6.House 5 The structural reconstruction work was done using mud mortar and lime plaster as was the case in the existing parts of the buildings. Rooms inside opened up to accommodate a 'kudam'.C. Height of the rear room raised to obtain larger volume of space. New pavilion constructed on the roof terrace. Brick columns of the “thalvaram” replaced with old wooden comlumns 14. 4. 9. R. . Rear rooms of the third house reconstructed to accommodate toilets and bathroom 11. Thach of the “thalvaram” replaced with traditional country tiles 13. 2. Existing 'thalvaram' cleared off the wooden grilles . 3. Collapsed rear rooms of the fourth house repaved with traditional square clay tiles. 5. Entrance to the third house remodeled with a traditional “thalvaram” 10. 7. 8. Brick columns of the 'mutram' replaced with old wooden columns. Existing ventilators replaced with old windows. New staircase constructed in place of the old dilapidated staircase. 1. Collapsed portions of the hird house reconstucted in the traditional way 12.C Verandah replaced with traditional 'thalvaram'. Goldsmith’s Street Houses Elevations Houses 1 to 4 House 5 Goldsmith’s Street Work in progress . etc.Bungalow on the Beach Bungalow on the beach’. kitchen and dining rooms. former Collector’s bungalow. etc.  The restoration was carried out using traditional materials and construction techniques like ‘Madras terrace method’ of floor slab construction in lime mortar.The sea-side building was bought by the Neemrana group in 2002 and was in an advanced state of disrepair. The method of ‘ least intervention with the original structure’ has been followed to accommodate modern facilities like bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. reception. . where parts of the verandah had collapsed and the roof of the first-floor verandah had been dismantled. A new timber staircase was added to approach the first-floor. timber lean-to-roof for firstfloor verandah. it has been restored and redesigned to house a heritage hotel managed by Neemarana Hotels. Hunsett Mill Norfolk Broads National Park. . was guided by a focus on environmentally friendly practices and the desire to create a building that would fit naturally into thelandscape. in terms of both aesthetics and function. by london-based architecture firm acme. United Kingdom Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--facade of extension The hunsett mills renovation project. . in the protected wetlands of the norfolk broads. historically adapted for industrial use.Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma Unique design challenges were presented by the property's location. the landscape of the broads has benefited from contemporary trends that emphasis conservation and a return to nature. a single large extension was added behind the house. . In their place. the building underwent a series of extensions over the course of the 20th century. more seamlessly integrating into the landscape.Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--garden space Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--surrounding landscape Originally the home of the keeper of the hunsett water pumping mill. Added room-by-room and all at different times. The acme renovation demolished the old additions and returned the building to its original architecture. the changes not only gave the house a disjointed appearance but also caused the land to sink. increasing the frequency of flooding from nearby marshes. its charred timber facade blends into its setting.Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--timber cladding Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--view of the house from river ant The extension was conceived as a shadow of the existing house. despite its size. it is barely visible behind the original property. . without resorting to mimicry of traditional building styles. and the distinctly modern architecture is tempered by the use of traditional pitched roofs. and indeed from certain vantage points. . external and internal windows and optimal use of space lend a feeling of capaciousness to the rooms.the open ground floor is given a sense of structure by a fireplace. and its separate living spaces are unobtrusively demarcated by changes in floor level.Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--dining space Throughout the house. The first storey intersperses its seven rooms with hallways and pockets of space that look out over the first floor. and are thereby open to the full two-storey height of the building. Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--kitchen space Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--second level hallway . additional heat can be provided by a wood-burning stove. and thereby benefit in colder weather from free passive solar heating.Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--center fireplace Sustainability was a major consideration in every step of the design process. by leaving the internal surfaces of the exterior timber exposed. the building is oriented and structured to provide maximum solar exposure. from a renewable energy company. Natural ventilation for warmer months is encouraged by the stack effects produced by several doublestorey spaces. is the only off-site resource connected to the property. the heat captured by daytime sun exposure is steadily released into the house in the cooler evenings. Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--(left) stairway down to the ground level.(right) bedroom . Electricity. weatherproofing and preserving the timber without the use of chemicals. (right) ceiling forms The timber walls and roofs were selected for their insulating and thermal regulating properties. The technique of superficial charring that lends a traditional and interesting appearance to the structure is not merely aesthetic but also functional. and were harvested from sustainable forests. where the use of charred timber ('yakisugi') for building purposes is a common practice and where its production is more sustainable than industry . (right) faceted ceiling Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--(left) bathroom.Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--(left) below the staircase. Wood for the hunsett mill was sourced from Japan. practices in the UK. construction innovations reduced the amount of heavy machinery required on site and minimized the extent to which earth was broken. Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--charred timber cladding Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma . the garden is composed of indigenous plants to minimize its ecological footprint. and returns 25 hectares of nearby forest and grassland to its preindustrial marshland condition. Construction of a new embankment directly behind the buildings protects against flooding more reliably and efficiently than previous defenses downstream.Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--in context The architects did not overlook the broader needs of the unique landscape. Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma . Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--prior to construction Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--foundation . Photo © Courtesy of Cristobal Palma--solid timber structure site plan--drawing Courtesy of acme . ground floor plan--drawing Courtesy of acme first floor plan--drawing Courtesy of acme . roof plan--drawing Courtesy of acme section--drawing Courtesy of acme--section showing the floor defense .