“The greenest building is the building which is already built.” while quoting architect Carl Elef... more “The greenest building is the building which is already built.” while quoting architect Carl Elefante, Director of Sustainable Design at Qunin Evans Architects in Washington, D.C. (Sidler, 2014) Human population is going to increase over time and so are its needs. And one of our basic needs is land. Land for construction, agriculture, transport etc. But, how much ever our demands increase, the net surface area availability on ground would stay constant. In this face, we need newer buildings and for which often our older buildings, many a times, buildings with cultural and heritage value are also taken down. Does need of newer buildings directly point to razing down of older structures? Do these buildings not possess a value which is beyond monetary terms? Moreover, is this method of raze and rebuild over it, a sustainable practice? A non-maintained building, which has long lost its purpose and now stands in ruins, often turns into a hub for vandals, drug peddlers and other anti-social activities. Social psychology studies often quote the “The broken window theory” which states - if a broken window is left broken and not replaced, it is probable that soon all the other windows would be broken too. The window becomes a symbol to the society that no one cares. Such situations have immediate impact on their surroundings and also spread out eventually, leading to desertion of an entire vicinity. Hence, adaptive reuse of older neighborhoods, buildings and structures can also help in controlling the urban sprawl and thus impacting the development of the urban fabric of a city. It generates a relation between the user and the buildings, as these buildings are brought back to their former glory. Adaptive reuse is a method of utilizing existing buildings, renovating them and inducing new uses in the building, other than the one for which it was built. The site itself is a green alternative to green field development. Adaptive reuse is an essential tool to preserve the 8 history of a city and put old, unused and unhabituated but structurally sound buildings to newer uses. Industrial buildings, due to their large footprints and utilitarian architecture possess a high potential to undergo adaptive reuse. Considering the high carbon footprint and embodied energy, razing down industrial buildings or complexes has adverse effects on the environment as well. These buildings, due to their scale and proportions, as well as history that revolves around them, are important exhibits of a city’s industrial history which makes them worthy of conservation. Mumbai has a rich industrial history which witnessed a dominance of various cotton textile mills across the island city. With change in industrial development and pattern these mills got shut down. Eventually, these land parcels are now luring developers and land sharks, who want to raze down these iconic structures to lead way for soaring apartment blocks. The purpose of this design thesis is to display methods for reusing an industrial structure, in a sustainable manner, while protecting its original visual characteristics. It would focus on techniques in which the building could be reused and additions could be made to meet LEED standards, while preserving the original character of the buildings. An important palette of techniques was recorded in the dissertation, which has become the design guideline for this project.
“The greenest building is the building which is already built.” while quoting architect Carl Elef... more “The greenest building is the building which is already built.” while quoting architect Carl Elefante, Director of Sustainable Design at Qunin Evans Architects in Washington, D.C. (Sidler, 2014) Human population is going to increase over time and so are its needs. And one of our basic needs is land. Land for construction, agriculture, transport etc. But, how much ever our demands increase, the net surface area availability on ground would stay constant. In this face, we need newer buildings and for which often our older buildings, many a times, buildings with cultural and heritage value are also taken down. Does need of newer buildings directly point to razing down of older structures? Do these buildings not possess a value which is beyond monetary terms? Moreover, is this method of raze and rebuild over it, a sustainable practice? A non-maintained building, which has long lost its purpose and now stands in ruins, often turns into a hub for vandals, drug peddlers and other anti-social activities. Social psychology studies often quote the “The broken window theory” which states - if a broken window is left broken and not replaced, it is probable that soon all the other windows would be broken too. The window becomes a symbol to the society that no one cares. Such situations have immediate impact on their surroundings and also spread out eventually, leading to desertion of an entire vicinity. Hence, adaptive reuse of older neighborhoods, buildings and structures can also help in controlling the urban sprawl and thus impacting the development of the urban fabric of a city. It generates a relation between the user and the buildings, as these buildings are brought back to their former glory. Adaptive reuse is a method of utilizing existing buildings, renovating them and inducing new uses in the building, other than the one for which it was built. The site itself is a green alternative to green field development. Adaptive reuse is an essential tool to preserve the 8 history of a city and put old, unused and unhabituated but structurally sound buildings to newer uses. Industrial buildings, due to their large footprints and utilitarian architecture possess a high potential to undergo adaptive reuse. Considering the high carbon footprint and embodied energy, razing down industrial buildings or complexes has adverse effects on the environment as well. These buildings, due to their scale and proportions, as well as history that revolves around them, are important exhibits of a city’s industrial history which makes them worthy of conservation. Mumbai has a rich industrial history which witnessed a dominance of various cotton textile mills across the island city. With change in industrial development and pattern these mills got shut down. Eventually, these land parcels are now luring developers and land sharks, who want to raze down these iconic structures to lead way for soaring apartment blocks. The purpose of this design thesis is to display methods for reusing an industrial structure, in a sustainable manner, while protecting its original visual characteristics. It would focus on techniques in which the building could be reused and additions could be made to meet LEED standards, while preserving the original character of the buildings. An important palette of techniques was recorded in the dissertation, which has become the design guideline for this project.
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Human population is going to increase over time and so are its needs. And one of our basic needs is land. Land for construction, agriculture, transport etc. But, how much ever our demands increase, the net surface area availability on ground would stay constant.
In this face, we need newer buildings and for which often our older buildings, many a times, buildings with cultural and heritage value are also taken down. Does need of newer buildings directly point to razing down of older structures? Do these buildings not possess a value which is beyond monetary terms? Moreover, is this method of raze and rebuild over it, a sustainable practice?
A non-maintained building, which has long lost its purpose and now stands in ruins, often turns into a hub for vandals, drug peddlers and other anti-social activities. Social psychology studies often quote the “The broken window theory” which states - if a broken window is left broken and not replaced, it is probable that soon all the other windows would be broken too. The window becomes a symbol to the society that no one cares. Such situations have immediate impact on their surroundings and also spread out eventually, leading to desertion of an entire vicinity. Hence, adaptive reuse of older neighborhoods, buildings and structures can also help in controlling the urban sprawl and thus impacting the development of the urban fabric of a city. It generates a relation between the user and the buildings, as these buildings are brought back to their former glory.
Adaptive reuse is a method of utilizing existing buildings, renovating them and inducing new uses in the building, other than the one for which it was built. The site itself is a green alternative to green field development. Adaptive reuse is an essential tool to preserve the
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history of a city and put old, unused and unhabituated but structurally sound buildings to newer uses. Industrial buildings, due to their large footprints and utilitarian architecture possess a high potential to undergo adaptive reuse. Considering the high carbon footprint and embodied energy, razing down industrial buildings or complexes has adverse effects on the environment as well. These buildings, due to their scale and proportions, as well as history that revolves around them, are important exhibits of a city’s industrial history which makes them worthy of conservation.
Mumbai has a rich industrial history which witnessed a dominance of various cotton textile mills across the island city. With change in industrial development and pattern these mills got shut down. Eventually, these land parcels are now luring developers and land sharks, who want to raze down these iconic structures to lead way for soaring apartment blocks.
The purpose of this design thesis is to display methods for reusing an industrial structure, in a sustainable manner, while protecting its original visual characteristics. It would focus on techniques in which the building could be reused and additions could be made to meet LEED standards, while preserving the original character of the buildings. An important palette of techniques was recorded in the dissertation, which has become the design guideline for this project.
Human population is going to increase over time and so are its needs. And one of our basic needs is land. Land for construction, agriculture, transport etc. But, how much ever our demands increase, the net surface area availability on ground would stay constant.
In this face, we need newer buildings and for which often our older buildings, many a times, buildings with cultural and heritage value are also taken down. Does need of newer buildings directly point to razing down of older structures? Do these buildings not possess a value which is beyond monetary terms? Moreover, is this method of raze and rebuild over it, a sustainable practice?
A non-maintained building, which has long lost its purpose and now stands in ruins, often turns into a hub for vandals, drug peddlers and other anti-social activities. Social psychology studies often quote the “The broken window theory” which states - if a broken window is left broken and not replaced, it is probable that soon all the other windows would be broken too. The window becomes a symbol to the society that no one cares. Such situations have immediate impact on their surroundings and also spread out eventually, leading to desertion of an entire vicinity. Hence, adaptive reuse of older neighborhoods, buildings and structures can also help in controlling the urban sprawl and thus impacting the development of the urban fabric of a city. It generates a relation between the user and the buildings, as these buildings are brought back to their former glory.
Adaptive reuse is a method of utilizing existing buildings, renovating them and inducing new uses in the building, other than the one for which it was built. The site itself is a green alternative to green field development. Adaptive reuse is an essential tool to preserve the
8
history of a city and put old, unused and unhabituated but structurally sound buildings to newer uses. Industrial buildings, due to their large footprints and utilitarian architecture possess a high potential to undergo adaptive reuse. Considering the high carbon footprint and embodied energy, razing down industrial buildings or complexes has adverse effects on the environment as well. These buildings, due to their scale and proportions, as well as history that revolves around them, are important exhibits of a city’s industrial history which makes them worthy of conservation.
Mumbai has a rich industrial history which witnessed a dominance of various cotton textile mills across the island city. With change in industrial development and pattern these mills got shut down. Eventually, these land parcels are now luring developers and land sharks, who want to raze down these iconic structures to lead way for soaring apartment blocks.
The purpose of this design thesis is to display methods for reusing an industrial structure, in a sustainable manner, while protecting its original visual characteristics. It would focus on techniques in which the building could be reused and additions could be made to meet LEED standards, while preserving the original character of the buildings. An important palette of techniques was recorded in the dissertation, which has become the design guideline for this project.