Defined as transforming an unused or underused building into one that serves a new use, adaptive reuse is defined by its relationship to context. This lecture course examines the pluralism of this practice through weekly lectures that focus on aspects of heritage, conservation, typology & classification and culture. The course will also focus on the differences in the implementation of this practice from countries in Northern Europe with its longstanding regard for reuse to countries with emerging practices. The lectures will include case studies of buildings, unbuilt projects, and urban assemblages, which will be contextualized through the common themes which are critical to understanding reuse. Requirements: weekly lectures and discussions, readings, a mid-term examination and final presentations.

Major Requirement | MA Interior Studies: Adaptive Reuse

This course will examine the development of adaptive reuse practice in the context of its social, political, technological, and economic circumstances, as it pertains to the design culture of the period. Special emphasis will be given to interior renovations, additions, transformations and other interventions of adaptive reuse. Attention will also be given to design theory, and the evolving doctrines relating to heritage. This course will be conducted in seminar form with graduate level discourse and discussion. Requirements include midterm, final exam and research presentation.

Major Requirement | MDes Interior Studies Adaptive Reuse

This seminar is the second of the three-part Design Thesis sequence in the department of Interior Architecture. This course is designed to assist students in identifying a thesis topic and respective design project through discussions that include studies of precedents, site related issues, program, and regulations, all of which are specific to adaptive reuse. Through group discussion and individual interviews, outline proposals will be approved in principle, requiring each student to prepare a feasibility report for their proposed Design Thesis. This completed feasibility report will be submitted for evaluation at the end of the Fall semester. Approved proposals will proceed to the next course in the sequence, where the proposal will be further refined, culminating in the design phase that will take place during the following Spring semester.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate Interior Architecture Students.

Major Requirement | MDes Interior Studies

As the final studio in the year-long sequence of studios and seminars focusing on the practice of adaptive reuse, the student will have the opportunity to demonstrate these principles and theories in a complex design project of reuse. With a local site as the setting for the project, students have access to the site and are able to observe and experience firsthand the constraints of an existing structure. Students will also have the opportunity to use city resources such as the Department of Planning and Development, Historic District Commission, RI State Council on the Arts, etc. This project will serve as a model for engaging other real-world adaptive reuse applications. This studio will be taught in conjunction with the 3-credit Adaptive Reuse Seminar: INTAR-2363.

Please contact the instructor for permission to register. Preference is given to Graduate Interior Architecture Students.

Major Requirement | MA Interior Studies: Adaptive Reuse