College of Architecture

School Year 2021-2022

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN 7
FINAL PLATE

PROJECT TITLE: ADAPTIVE REUSE OF ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE

HISTORY

Significant architectural and historical monuments become an important point of reference for
the local population, increasing their sense of security, and act as a factor shaping social
identity. An effort to preserve relevant objects in a city is therefore important both for retaining its
unique features and for strengthening the local community. A significant role plays here the
adaptive reuse of architectural heritage, which allows for the preservation of architectural
objects that are important to the local community, promoting the integrity and historical
continuity of the city while restoring the objects’ functional and economic value.

The introduction of a new function in architectural heritage is not only an important impulse
for the tangible regeneration of urban tissue, but can also help to reconstruct the image and
identity of a city. The local cultural and architectural heritage plays a significant role in the
process leading to the creation of positive references and elimination of negative connotations
related to an economic or social crisis. These remain an important part of the history of a city
and, at the same time, its significance may be reimagined and shown in a new context, that
relates to the present day. As a result, artefacts of the past gain new meanings, which are
subject to a different, contemporary interpretation through the prism of current needs and ideas.
Objects or even groups of objects from the past are being consciously taken into consideration
in the activities currently undertaken.

The contemporary scale of the phenomenon and complexity of the issues concerning the
adaptive reuse of architectural heritage are a consequence of the multi-faceted transformations
that have taken place in recent decades in the social, cultural and economic spheres, and,
consequently, the contemporary understanding of the role and significance of the architectural
heritage.

RESTORING THE OLD AND REUSING FOR THE FUTURE

From structures affected by World Wars up to natural disasters and heavy deindustrialization
the world evolves and changes rapidly thus leaving behind buildings, establishments that we
often overlook.

Restoring an old structure starts to be taken into consideration by the Government and National
Agencies as the immense advantages start to break the surface, we open our minds, we take
steps to bring into existence buildings of the past in the attempt to promote conservation of our
National Heritage thus reducing urban sprawl together and reshaping the image of the whole,
beautifully enriched by history.

REQUIREMENT: 2-storey at 150 sq. meters

Ar. Julieta Mateo ,Uap, MArchCTM

ADESIGN 7
 College of Architecture
School Year 2021-2022

ADAPTIVE REUSE ADVANTAGES

• We can notice that historical sites are commonly situated at the center of the community.
This opens up extraordinary opportunities and naturally guarantees extraordinary
already built infrastructure.
• Historical sites are priceless in value. Hundreds of years of existence and remarkable
designs that can encourage tourism.
• Each Era had its own method of construction and detailed designs in comparison with
modern construction developments, this cannot be reproduced today entirely.
• There are several forms of obstruction in the adaptation and reusing phenomenon:
• Historic sites that are being neglected by the government and make it out of existence
due to material’s decomposition.
• Instances in which the government policies are unsafe to the environment and historic
places.
• New proposals are being projected for the site.

STANDARD CRITERIA

• Discouraging Faradisms – is referring to demolishing the back part of the building and
only retains the façade.
• Contemporary Designs versus Poor Imitation of Historical Designs – this refers to the
new modern designs that attempt to imitate the old rather than repairing the original
design.
• Consideration of new use as appropriate as of its original use.
• Benefits of Reusing an Old Structure

ADVANTAGES

ADAPTIVE REUSE OF EXISTING STRUCTURES IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOLLOWING

ADVANTAGES:

Energy Conservation:
Energy is conserved by reclaiming and repurposing existing structures and their materials and
their embodied energy, as well as making use of existing available infrastructure such as access
to transportation and utilities.

Contributes to Sustainability:
Existing structures are often located in established growth areas with a significant population
density and in developed areas, reusing these structures will help support the neighborhood.

Enhances Community Character:

Ruse retains historic resources and community character by providing renewed life to historic
structures in an economically viable manner. Building reuse can provide a link between the
community's history and its present and future while accommodating up-to-date needs, and is

Ar. Julieta Mateo ,Uap, MArchCTM

ADESIGN 7
 College of Architecture
School Year 2021-2022

often more harmonious with community character than new construction. Encourages
Investment: Reuse can encourage more investment, development, and revitalization in areas
and in other structures that might otherwise remain vacant or underused, yielding potential tax
generation and employment opportunities.

Cost Savings:
Rather than demolishing existing structures that have outlived their originally intended use,
reuse saves on demolition costs, champions recycling, and creates unique design opportunities.

Potential Tax Advantages:

Owners may be eligible for federal tax credits for rehabilitation investments in older or historic
buildings and other incentives.
Increases Market Value: Values can be increased by preserving aesthetically-appealing building
features and architectural elements that are often characteristic of older buildings. Materials and
quality of construction of the past is often not economically possible to reproduce today.

Saves Time:
Provides potential time savings can result through building reuse because the building and
infrastructure is in place, and municipal approval and permitting can occur more quickly and less
expensively than comparable new construction.

Environmental Benefits:

Reuse can provide environmental and public-health benefits through the remediation of
contaminants associated with some older building materials as well as former industrial or
commercial sites.

Limitations
The following are challenges in implementing adaptive reuse:
Physical Limitations:
Structural constraints involved with retaining aesthetically appealing, architectural or historic
features may make fitting a new use into an existing building challenging, and may require
added creativity and flexibility.
Regulatory Constraints:
Existing structures may pre-date zoning, building permit, and other local development
regulations and thus their rehabilitation to meet modern requirements can be challenging. For
example, zoning may limit uses and restrict possible reuse opportunities, or require variances.
Off-street parking may be difficult for an existing older building to meet. However, the statewide
building code has built-in reliefs to help address this matter.
Potential Environmental Hazards:
Environmental contaminants such as asbestos and lead can be present in many older buildings,
requiring costly mitigation.

Ar. Julieta Mateo ,Uap, MArchCTM

ADESIGN 7
 College of Architecture
School Year 2021-2022

REQUIREMENTS:
• PROJECT PROPOSAL – TITLE PROPOSAL
• SITE ANALYSIS AND INVENTORY (ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION of EXISTING
CONDITION)
• PROJECT BACKGROUND
• PROJECT STUDY
• OBJECTIVES
• REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES AND LITERATURE
• CONCLUSION and RECOMMENDATIONS

DRAWING REQUIREMENTS:
• SITE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
• FLOOR PLAN BEFORE AND AFTER
• ELEVATIONS, BEFORE & AFTER
• SECTIONS
• DETAILS (structural & architectural)
• PERSPECTIVE (Before & After)
• INTERIOR (Before & After)
• EXTERIOR

PRESENTATION:
20X30 Boards
All DIGITAL
Recorded Video during Research showing the existing condition of the Site and structure
Recorded Video of Group Presentation (Final Presentation)

NOTE:
LEGAL CONSIDERATION: NHCP GUIDELINES: National Historical Commission of the
Philippines AND OTHER LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

Ar. Julieta Mateo ,Uap, MArchCTM

ADESIGN 7