Adaptive three-use

Abstract

How can the adaptive re-use and re-purposing of heritage fabric offer a model for development that is economically viable and also adds value to our urban environments?

The intention of this thesis is to encourage the adaptive development and reuse of Heritage buildings by demonstrating the value and viability of doing so.

In order to establish the merits of this proposition, we are required to justify the preferential use of existing structures as an alternative to new development. Fundamental to this justification is our perception or understanding of ‘value’.

Within the context of this thesis, value can be understood as a multi-faceted entity with economic, cultural, urban and experiential dimensions. These forms of ‘worth’ will be examined at three different levels within the context of the city. Not only will this framework of assessment indicate the true value of the research, it will also demonstrate the viability of applying these lessons to the selected sites, and also to numerous other under-utilised structures.

Specifically, I propose to investigate how the adaptive reuse of a selection of heritage buildings within Dunedin’s Warehouse District would regenerate this heritage precinct and serve as a viable and valuable alternative to the new ‘Betterways’ waterfront hotel development – the current proposal.

A rising concern within developed cities is how to increase housing availability without contributing to the problems associated with urban sprawl. Can we address this by increasing the density of already developed areas without further expansion? My thesis addresses this issue by proposing a related approach. Much of current city expansion is due to a shortage in residential housing. I suggest that this problem can be addressed by examining what sites and buildings are already available within the city that could be considered appropriate for regeneration. Within this thesis there is a residential component that will act as an example of how we can tackle this important problem.

In addition to addressing housing shortages, the act of reusing existing buildings also creates the opportunity to regenerate the more derelict parts of our cities.

Cities have changed dramatically over the years through development. The concentric city model where activities radiate from a central location has been replaced with a more dispersed model in which there are several focal nodes for activities. Industries which have relocated have left neglected structures that have fallen into disrepair. These structures were built for specific functions unrelated to housing. How can these decaying structures be restored and turned into liveable options for today?

Making use of existing infrastructure is an opportunity. One complication with the current expansion of cities into ‘green field’ sites is the resulting necessity for completely new infrastructure to support the development. Although the utilisation of existing areas requires an upgrade to systems, these systems will already be in place. This is beneficial to the council from both a cost and desirability perspective.

Another major issue is the need for seismic upgrades. The majority of these buildings were constructed at the turn of the century. Materials and techniques used in their construction mean that their structures are prone to damage in the event of seismic activity.

After the Christchurch earthquakes and subsequent earthquakes in Wellington, the central government has demanded that New Zealand’s Heritage building stock must be brought up to current code requirements for structural safety. These buildings must be strengthened or demolished within a defined timeframe in the interest of public safety. These requirements create a real issue that New Zealand’s Heritage buildings will be destroyed and lost forever. Therefore, the importance of this research covers these wider implications for New Zealand’s built fabric.

This proposal aligns the need to strengthen existing buildings with the opportunity to adapt and repurpose these to meet new demands on our cities.