Change is the reality: Ever changing architecture

Abstract

The motivation for this paper stems from the consideration of the life span of new buildings that need to address the vacancy and demolitions of buildings in contemporary urban environments. As buildings face inevitable changes due to technological advancements, environmental factors, and user requirements, this study advocates for a proactive method in architectural design. By embracing adaptability, architects can reconsider the structure of space that remain functional, sustainable, and relevant over extended periods, thereby enhancing the longevity and utility of the built environment.

This paper explores the genre of changeable architecture that are intended to respond to changing situation in their use during operation. Research part integrates the characteristics of changeable architecture with theories of metabolism, structuralism, Finnish constructivism, and urban context theory of Rem Koolhaas, aiming to reveal the correlations and value of adaptable architecture in response to technological, social, and economic changes. By categorizing the components of changeable architecture from various perspectives-open space, transformation, and topology- theoretical part demonstrates that the changeability of architecture is not only a physical description of changes literally, but also about transformations in spatial qualities reflected on the structure that interpret the freedom of human behavior and living habits. Drawing from theoretical research, this paper compiles and analyzes cases related to adaptable architecture to identify the factors that impact architecture changeability and explores the potential for architectural transformation.