Abstract:
The aim of this research is to explore an adaptive reuse approach as a way to enhance industrial
buildings in New Zealand. As in other parts of the world, New Zealand has accumulated industrial
buildings which are now in disrepair. Many of these buildings appear to be undervalued by their
local communities and are often demolished with little consideration given to other options. There
are missed opportunities here to create composite architectures which make use of these somewhat
curious buildings.
This thesis initially investigates the significance that these buildings may hold for society and suggests
reasons why they ought to be reused. The research then questions how an adaptive reuse approach
could be used to enhance industrial structures. By combining the research into the importance
of older buildings, particularly industrial buildings, with international case study analysis,
a set of design approaches are developed. These approaches offer concepts and techniques for the
conversion of industrial buildings which pertain to physical factors such as proportion and form.
The design process is informed by these approaches, where they are expanded and tested for their
relevance in a New Zealand context. The site for this design exploration is the Lower Hutt Railway
Workshops which were selected to reveal the challenges involved in a large-scale project and
because they embody the typical issues of industrial disregard. The intended function is a film
complex which has specific requirements necessary to probe change in the buildings. However, this
design example does not suggest that one-approach-fits-all. Rather, these approaches are developed
to provoke thought in designers embarking on industrial conversions.
Due to a widespread lack of appreciation of industrial buildings, there is typically more creative freedom
in the way they are adapted, compared with non-industrial buildings. This suggests that more
innovative conversion methods can be used. The approaches developed in this thesis advocate for an
amalgamated adaptation which has a well considered relationship to the existing building and site.
Overall this research reveals that there are a number of significant factors to consider when converting
industrial architectures. When these factors are included in the design process, the experience
of aged materials and the heritage-value encompassed in these buildings can be further enhanced.
