aalto1 untyped-item.component.html
Preservation as a tool of re-interpreting building: Adaptive reuse of obsoleting buildings in Longquan, China
Loading...
URL
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
School of Arts, Design and Architecture |
Master's thesis
Electronic archive copy is available via Aalto Thesis Database.
Location:
Authors
Date
Department
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Language
en
Pages
99
Series
Abstract
Nowadays, there is growing interest and need for reusing old buildings globally, which is now perceived as a more effective and sustainable way to preserve historical memory and continue cultural phenomena of space than constructing new-build architecture. The buildings that ought to be reused are no longer limited to valuable historical buildings but include some everyday buildings that have been abandoned for some reason. Most represent an era or region's daily life and cultural context with unusual significance. Preservation is an essential tool for re-interpreting old buildings to evoke collective memory and contribute to the community.
How to preserve historical memory and build a bridge between old and new? There are four obsoleting buildings in longquan, located in Zhejiang Province in southern China, which are a part of an industrial complex with a long history and are planned to transform into commercial spaces for local urban renewal plan. Many buildings surrounding have been demolished, resulting in these four buildings playing a significant role in continuing the local historical narrative.
The thesis aims to explore specific adaptive reuse strategies to help existing buildings overcome obsolescence and be integrated into future development without affecting the memory of the place. Design focus on creating “place” rather than buildings, which provide a platform that presents scenarios of the past, present, and even future at the same time. The thesis argues that instead of resorting to pastiche, transformation should be conducted upon discovering and recognizing a place's embodied meaning after thoroughly reading history and context. This proposal further discusses the relationship between memory and architecture, which is related to a multi-sensory experience, evoking memory by organizing behaviors and designing a journey rather than merely producing new forms and visual images.