Tag: abandoned-buildings | ArchDaily

New Life for Old Spaces: Buildner Announces Results of Its First Annual Re-Form Competition

Rene Submissions — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 07:45:00 +0000

Buildner has announced the results of its Re-Form: New Life for Old Spaces, an international ideas competition examining the adaptive reuse of small-scale existing buildings. The competition invited architects and designers to propose transformations of used, abandoned, or overlooked structures with an approximate footprint of 250 square meters, located anywhere in the world. With no fixed site or program, participants were encouraged to explore alternatives to demolition and new construction through reuse strategies grounded in contemporary social and environmental concerns.

On the New Life of Buildings: Concepts, Reflections, and Adaptive Reuse Projects of 2024

Agustina Iñiguez — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Discussing adaptive reuse involves exploring multiple fields of action and disciplines, interpreting opposing perspectives and opinions from various stakeholders, and even sparking the reactivation or revitalization of certain spaces in favor of communities. In recent years, notable projects have emerged, such as the conversion of factories and industrial warehouses, as well as the transformation of industrial structures into modern offices. Adaptive reuse of existing buildings has continued to evolve and expand globally throughout 2024, aiming to improve the quality of life for residents while also contributing to environmental sustainability.

From Silos to Iconic Spaces: 15 Projects That Repurpose Industrial Structures

Camilla Ghisleni — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Silos hold a significant place among the remnants of the industrial era, distinguished by both their technological innovations and their iconic presence in urban landscapes. Typically cylindrical and made of reinforced concrete, these structures effectively addressed the demands and challenges of industrialization, providing a robust and economical solution for storage. However, throughout the 20th century, with the advent of new logistics and the relocation of activities from some urban centers to expanding areas, many of these silos were decommissioned.

Retrofitting Brazilian Buildings: Sustainability and Innovation in Downtown São Paulo

Camilla Ghisleni — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 07:30:00 +0000

The term "retrofit," unlike rehabilitation or restoration, has been adopted by the market to address technological upgrades in existing buildings. These projects focus on aligning constructions with local technical standards and adapting spaces to be more functional and sustainable, meeting current demands.

Reimagining an Abandoned Urban Landmark: The Story Behind the Piraeus Tower in Athens, Greece

Camilla Ghisleni — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 07:30:00 +0000

The landmark of Piraeus, located in the heart of the largest passenger port in Europe, began construction in 1972 but remained unfinished and vacant for decades. Finally completed in 2023, after an international competition, it now stands as Greece's first green and digital skyscraper. The architectural firm PILA took on the design of the facades, while the office ASPA-KST designed the commercial spaces, and the new general architectural study was entrusted to Betaplan. After over four years of renovation, Piraeus Tower officially opened its doors to tenants and visitors on June 4th with a night of celebrations, establishing itself as a bustling hub and injecting vitality into the area.

“Abandoned Buildings Provide the Potential for a Regenerative Future”: In Conversation With Limbo Accra

Paul Yakubu — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 07:30:00 +0000

There is an increasing character of abandoned buildings in many African cities and Limbo Accra; a spatial design practice, roots itself in the experimentation of their repair, reuse, and transformation. The practice views these buildings as a unique architectural typology that includes key city landmarks, from the abandoned Independence house in Lagos to the incomplete airport tower in Accra, amongst others. They see them as major opportunities for modern public space and as symbolic sites for spatial justice. Through techniques such as photogrammetry, Limbo Accra has been creating a digital archive of these buildings and collaborating with artists and designers to propose new prospects for them. ArchDaily had the opportunity to speak with Dominique Petit-Frère, the co-founder of Limbo Accra, about the collective character of these buildings, Limbo Accra’s approach to their transformation, and navigating challenges in the adaptive reuse of these structures.

Dystopian Disneyland: The Story Behind Turkey’s Castle Ghost Town

Camilla Ghisleni — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Most of us have probably imagined living in a castle at some point, whether during childhood, enchanted by fairy tales, or as adults studying European monarchies. Considering this fascination, what would you think if you had the chance to buy your castle? In mid-2014, you could make that dream a reality in Turkey for just $370,000. Each luxurious 325-square-meter castle came complete with blue turrets and spiral staircases. The only catch? Your castle would be one of 731 identical ones. But who cares about exclusivity when you have the chance to live in a Disney fairy tale?

Maximizing Dilapidated Infrastructure: The Potential of Repurposing Abandoned Buildings into Social Housing

Paul Yakubu — Wed, 22 May 2024 07:30:00 +0000

As the demand for affordable housing grows and the availability of low-cost properties diminishes, stakeholders in housing must become more innovative in their approach to social housing development. One opportunity lies in restoring and repurposing abandoned buildings. While building new houses remains the primary strategy for Housing Authorities and Associations, rehabilitating derelict buildings can be a more economical option. This approach not only maximizes the use of dilapidating infrastructure but also provides an economic opportunity to increase affordable housing within the city. Although rehabilitating derelict residential buildings may seem like an obvious solution, it becomes even more crucial when considering abandoned commercial, institutional, or historical buildings for social housing.

Lessons from Relocating and Building New Capital Cities in the Global South

Paul Yakubu — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 07:30:00 +0000

The relocation of a capital city is a complex urban decision with various dimensions and consequences for both the old and new capital. It can be driven by political, economic, societal, and other factors, and has urban and architectural implications for residents. These include factors such as location, planning, building design, the purpose of the old capital, climatic conditions, and separating the political/administrative hubs from cultural and economic cities.

"It’s the People Who Keep Buildings Alive": In Conversation with SO?, Curators for the Pavilion of Türkiye at the 2023 Venice Biennale

Maria-Cristina Florian — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 06:30:00 +0000

During their visit to the 18th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice, ArchDaily had the opportunity to engage in a conversation with Sevince Bayrak and Oral Göktaş, founders of the Istanbul-based studio SO? Architecture and Ideas, curators for the Pavilion of Türkiye. Their exhibition, titled Ghost Stories: Carrier Bag Theory of Architecture, explores the status and hidden potential of abandoned buildings across Türkiye to discover more hopeful proposals for the future. The conversations opened with an exploration of the status of these forgotten structures and their hidden potential, leading into the intentions behind the exhibition in Venice and the curator’s message for the wider audience.

“Education Is the Movement From Darkness to Light:” the Bulgarian Pavilion at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale Explores School Abandonment in the Country

Maria-Cristina Florian — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 06:30:00 +0000

For the 18th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, the Bulgarian Pavilion will present the exhibition titled “Education is the movement from darkness to light.” Curators Boris Tikvarski, Bojidara Valkova, and Mariya Gyaurova, joined by Belgian photographer Alexander Dumarey, have chosen to focus the exhibition on the subject of depopulation, urban decline, and rural flight, expressed through the image of abandoned schools present in the country. The project was selected following a national competition organized by The Ministry of Culture, The Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria, and the Union of Architects.

Gregor Sailer’s Photographs Explore Architecture’s Political, Military, and Economic Implications

Petra Loho — Sat, 01 Oct 2022 05:30:00 +0000

In a new show at Kunst Haus Wien in Vienna, the Austrian artist continues his investigation of architecture where few civilians tread.

Photographer Romain Veillon Captures What Buildings Would Look Like If Humans Disappeared

Dima Stouhi — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 06:30:00 +0000

During his explorations of abandoned places across Europe, award-winning French photographer Romain Veillon has stumbled upon enchanting architectures that have been left to decay for decades. In his latest book Green Urbex: The World Without Us, Veillon explored what the world would look like if the human race disappeared and nature took its course without any human interference.

Mallorca's Abandoned Buildings

Fabian Dejtiar — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 05:00:00 +0000

A building stands out along the maritime walkway in Palma, Mallorca's capital. Designed by José Ferragut Pou and completed in 1960, the building was a poster child for the modern architectural movement sweeping the globe at that time. Today, like many of its brethren, it stands in abandoned disrepair.

Architecture as a Reflection of Migration Between Mexico and the United States

Mónica Arellano — Mon, 24 May 2021 05:00:00 +0000

“Abandonment Copies” is a research project created between 2016 and 2018 by artist Sandra Calvo consisting of a film, archives, drawings, interviews, and a video display which was exhibited in the Mexican pavilion during the 2021 Biennial of Venice. The project highlights architecture as a reflection of the migration process between Mexico and the United States, comparing and contrasting the houses where migrants work in the US and the ones they build in Mexico with the remittances they send.