Revitalizing the Utilitarian
As our cities become more and more built up, adaptive reuse has gained acceptance as a planning solution, opting to revitalize existing structures over building from the ground up. Some sites are particularly challenging - particularly those ill-suited to present needs, and physically difficult to change - and are left alone in stasis as the city develops around them. But once a concerted architectural intervention takes shape, there’s a real possibility for something great to materialize and transform the community.
Flakturm Bunker
Hamburg, Germany
Perhaps the newest has recently opened its doors in my current city of Hamburg, in the north of Germany, and reflects a complete flip from tolerated blight to newly embraced landmark. The Flakturm IV, a monolithic grey block of concrete rising up 40 meters, was originally built in 1944 by the Nazi regime with slave labor and equipped with anti-aircraft cannon to defend against allied air raids before the end of WWII. By all standards it is a remnant of a time best relegated to the history books, but its 3.5-meter-thick exterior walls rendered demolition plans not so simple, and it has remained in a dilapidated state since the end of the war.
Eventually, proposals for its adaptive reuse finally materialized with a design by Interpol Studios, among others. The exterior walls were retained but now house public event spaces and sports facilities within. Five new terraced floors comprising a hotel sit on top, hosting a veritable forest of shrubs and trees. A wide pathway cantilevered along the exterior walls guides visitors from street level gradually up and around the building, eventually leading through “the forest” and culminating at a roof garden. At the midway point, however, where the former bunker roof is capped by the new hotel structure, visitors stop at the former command post now hosting a historical exhibition and site for remembrance.
With its doors having opened to the public this summer, it was astounding seeing a change in perception to this long-tolerated eyesore, now a much-visited extension of public green space - so much that the roof garden lawn required reseeding. The design should be acknowledged for tastefully balancing the creation of a contemporary public meeting space and acknowledgement of its history. But such interventions aren’t uncommon and reflect a pattern of responsible modern architecture reconnecting with its past and tying it back to the people it serves today.
Elbphilharmonie
Hamburg, Germany
The bunker isn’t the first such revitalization in Hamburg; not 2 km away along the Elbe stands the distinctive arched silhouette of the Elbphilharmonie. Originally a warehouse and repository (Kaiserspeicher) built post-war to store foodstuffs, it was part of plans to modernize the harbor district and became the basis of Herzog & de Meuron’s design for a new concert hall. The existing masonry walls were retained and the concert hall was accommodated within. Above sits a modern addition comprising a hotel, its sleek glass façade with curved edges recalling ships’ sails and reflecting the harbor skyline.
As with the St. Pauli Bunker, the point where the new converged with the old offered an opportunity for a unique public experience. An expansive open-air terrace is situated along the midpoint of the façade, where the original exterior structure ends and the new addition begins. Visitors can freely ascend via a series of escalators within the base and emerge at this new public social space to enjoy 360 degree views of the harbor, along with cafes and shops. Since its opening in 2017 it has become a destination in its own right, offering a contrast to the otherwise posh offerings in the upscale district.
Battersea Power Station
London, England
Photo by Afro Romanzo (Pexel)
Across the Channel, the Battersea Power Station was also only recently in the news as a similar revitalization to a historic structure. The original power station on the River Thames, designed by architect Giles Gilbert Scott in the 1930s, served over forty years providing one fifth of London’s electricity before being decommissioned in 1983. With plans to redevelop the surrounding area, the former station was redesigned by WilkinsonEyre to become a new upscale residential community and social destination.
With the majority of the exterior structure and masonry retained due to the building’s protected Grade II status, the vast interior was repurposed into a variety of new public and private functions. A large retail and shopping center at its core takes advantage of the vast chambers of one of the former Turbine Halls, while office spaces occupy levels above. New residential villas grace the roofline, sharing roof gardens and green spaces whilst enjoying relative quiet away from the social spaces below.
Here as well, the architects have opted to embrace the Power Station’s history and bring it into the public fold, keeping parts of the interior structure exposed. In addition, one of the four iconic chimneys now houses a glass elevator bringing visitors up to its top, providing an immersive experience and views of London at a height of 109 meters. A more expansive multimedia exhibition space delves into the building’s rich history in the other Turbine Hall. In addition aspects of its history shine through, with plaques throughout the building explaining former functions and purposes.
Photo credits: Left by Nick Fewings (Unsplash), Middle by Plamy (Pexel), Right by Bernd Dittricha (Upsplash)
A bunker, warehouse and power station - utilitarian structures from former times where function was the primary consideration. In the present day, where cities more than ever reflect the cumulative identities and aspirations of their inhabitants, the architectural renovation of such historical relics, especially those deeply tied to the city, should both be democratically decided upon by the people and also serve them, perhaps via educational opportunities, social functions, or simply an open view of the skyline. These three projects exemplify these goals and showcase architectural interventions that reconnect the city with its history.
Do you know of other great examples of adaptive reuse? Please tell us about them!
Written by Marco Lau, M.Sc. Architektur, AIA
Contributor to AIA International Communication & PR Committee
All otherwise unnoted photos by Marco Lau, AIA
