A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Transformative architecture for the shrinking city
Many cities such as Detroit and Cleveland have been shrinking over the past decades. As cities shrink there is a weeding out of inefficiencies in businesses, social venues and in occupied spaces. When growth returns, the perforations in the urban fabric become the spaces for growth opportunities. There are over 4.6 million commercial buildings in the United States housing nearly 70 billion square feet of floor space. Most do not meet ASHRAE Standards for thermal comfort, ventilation and energy efficiency, due to age. The embodied energy in each of these buildings is enormous. Replacement of outdated buildings is not only a loss of this embodied energy, but requires additional resources for the disposal of the demolished structure. A shrinking city has an abundance of outdated buildings at low prices creating opportunity to replace the concept of urban re-growth with that of transformation. Transformation is different than restoration or renovation in that it does not necessarily strive to maintain the social, political or cultural embodiment of the place. Transformation allows a sustainable update with a new concept for user encounter. The idea of building replacement is the economical choice at present not due to the merits of replacement but rather due to the lack of research into the transformation of existing structures into sustainable environments. While new methods and materials are important, the idea of building on a virgin site has passed its time. Exploration into the retrofitting of existing buildings with new program and updated sustainable systems is important and preferable to development of urban pockets or brownfields. This paper will discuss the need for transformative architecture in research. Examples of transformative projects highlighting success and failures will be reviewed. The paper will provide a basis for discussion of the development of transformative ideas for practicing architecture firms.
Transformative architecture for the shrinking city
Many cities such as Detroit and Cleveland have been shrinking over the past decades. As cities shrink there is a weeding out of inefficiencies in businesses, social venues and in occupied spaces. When growth returns, the perforations in the urban fabric become the spaces for growth opportunities. There are over 4.6 million commercial buildings in the United States housing nearly 70 billion square feet of floor space. Most do not meet ASHRAE Standards for thermal comfort, ventilation and energy efficiency, due to age. The embodied energy in each of these buildings is enormous. Replacement of outdated buildings is not only a loss of this embodied energy, but requires additional resources for the disposal of the demolished structure. A shrinking city has an abundance of outdated buildings at low prices creating opportunity to replace the concept of urban re-growth with that of transformation. Transformation is different than restoration or renovation in that it does not necessarily strive to maintain the social, political or cultural embodiment of the place. Transformation allows a sustainable update with a new concept for user encounter. The idea of building replacement is the economical choice at present not due to the merits of replacement but rather due to the lack of research into the transformation of existing structures into sustainable environments. While new methods and materials are important, the idea of building on a virgin site has passed its time. Exploration into the retrofitting of existing buildings with new program and updated sustainable systems is important and preferable to development of urban pockets or brownfields. This paper will discuss the need for transformative architecture in research. Examples of transformative projects highlighting success and failures will be reviewed. The paper will provide a basis for discussion of the development of transformative ideas for practicing architecture firms.
Transformative architecture for the shrinking city
Hitchcock Becker, Hollee (author)
2014-08-01
ARCC Conference Repository; 2011: Reflecting upon Current Themes in Architectural Research | Lawrence Tech
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
DDC:
720
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