The Resurgence of Industrial Architecture in Urban Settings: 20 Transformations and Adaptations of Former Factories and Warehouses
Domino Sugar Refinery / PAU – Practice for Architecture and Urbanism
In the same manner that societies evolve, eras shift, and cities progress, architecture undergoes modernization and technological advancements, occasionally leading to abandonment or decay. Recognizing the significance of industrial structures as historical artifacts embodying technological, social, and cultural shifts, the refurbishment or conversion of old factories and warehouses can contribute to the rejuvenation, preservation, or expansion of various urban areas, introducing new functionalities and spaces for the benefit of the populace.
Industrial edifices contribute to the urban fabric of cities and offer an opportunity to address existing conditions, allowing for reflection on restoration, preservation, intervention, and reclamation guidelines, among others. With a forward-looking approach, the reimagining of these spaces can yield urban habitat enhancements in the near, medium, and long term, as well as holistic enhancements in community living standards. So, how can one effectively repurpose a building and tailor it to a new function to grant it a second lease on life?
Transitioning from Factories to Office Spaces
Scattered across urban landscapes, factory buildings exhibit a straightforward aesthetic characterized by material simplicity, with brick or concrete often dominating their structure and layout. The presence of expansive structures on full display reflects an architecture primarily functional in nature, originally designed for specific purposes but now serving as historical artifacts from bygone eras that can be repurposed or conserved. Due to their adaptability and versatility in accommodating diverse functions, many architectural professionals advocate for transforming former large factories, warehouses, and industrial sites into workspaces, offices, and/or coworking environments.
- Location: Brooklyn, United States
- Year: 2023
“The Domino Sugar Refinery, akin to the Navy Yard and Industry City, is set to be revitalized as the focal point of a burgeoning new waterfront. Erected by Henry Havemeyer, this structure has long been a prominent feature on Brooklyn’s skyline and economic landscape.”
- Location: Barcelona, Spain
- Year: 2023
“Conversion of a former space/parking lot into contemporary offices at Espai Serrahima, Barcelona. Situated at Espai Serrahima, a hub for artistic-cultural enterprises near Montjuïc and Plaza España, this former industrial warehouse has been reimagined to house innovative workspaces.”
- Location: Barcelona, Spain
- Year: 2023
“The targeted building, situated in the Poblenou neighborhood of Barcelona, is part of an area currently undergoing a significant transformation.”
- Location: Barcelona, Spain
- Year: 2022
“The redevelopment of the 22@ district in Barcelona’s Poblenou neighborhood represents an opportunity to foster a new urban model that propels the city towards rejuvenating its urban fabric. Through innovation, creativity, and architectural design, the area witnesses the creation of sustainable structures and spaces, fostering a more eco-conscious neighborhood.”
- Location: Beijing, China
- Year: 2022
“Amidst a transitional phase in the neighborhood, Neri&Hu was tasked with repurposing an old warehouse previously utilized for cotton textile production into the primary office and retail concept store for the historic pastry brand, Lao Ding Feng, established in 1911.”
- Location: Barcelona, Spain
- Year: 2022
“Under the guidance of Xavier Vilalta, Vilalta Studio’s architectural team undertook the comprehensive restoration of a building in Barcelona, transforming it into a self-sustaining and eco-friendly workspace.”
- Location: Madrid, Spain
- Year: 2022
“Ombú, a transformative office structure for the Spanish infrastructure and energy firm ACCIONA, has been officially unveiled. This renovation initiative breathes new life into a historic building in Madrid, showcasing a sustainable model of building reuse while revitalizing the surrounding vicinity.”
- Location: Lisbon, Portugal
- Year: 2021
“Cidade BI4All serves as a prime example of architectural rehabilitation and conversion within a former area of Lisbon, Marvila/Braço de Prata, presently undergoing social and urban metamorphosis. In an era where corporate responsibility, post-carbon initiatives, and post-COVID-19 strategies are paramount, this project offers innovative solutions for rejuvenating the industrial landscape without resorting to demolition, fostering labor dynamics and human interactions, enabling both individual work and communal coexistence.”
- Location: Bratislava, Slovakia
- Year: 2021
“Only a handful of historic buildings in Bratislava have successfully adapted to contemporary needs, with one notable example being the functionalist Jurkovič’s Heating Plant. Following a three-year renovation, this structure has reopened its doors as a modern coworking hub – Base4Work by studio Perspektiv as interior designers.”
- Location: Zaragoza, Spain
- Year: 2020
“Internationally acclaimed company 78 Seventy Eight from Zaragoza is in the midst of an expansion phase, necessitating new offices aligned with the brand’s ethos. To accommodate this growth, the proposal involves refurbishing this historic edifice.”
- Location: Brooklyn, United States
- Year: 2020
“The endeavor encompasses the overhaul and reimagining of 77 Washington, a six-story, 38,000 square-foot former masonry factory dating back to the 1920s, along with a cluster of four adjacent historic structures.”
- Location: Hangzhou, China
- Year: 2020
“Xpace Digital Park breathes new life into a collection of disused old factories in Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou, China, transforming them into a fresh Startup Campus catering to tech enterprises. This initiative revamps the existing structures to establish a new identity for the site, turning it into an urban focal point.”
Embracing Mixed-Use Approaches in Adaptive Reuse Endeavors
The transition from industrial to office spaces often necessitates an examination of the existing program, scale, morphology, and surrounding context of the structure under consideration. While instances like the reuse of [ppp1] or the conversion of [ppp2], United States, showcase the adaptability of buildings to new functions, certain industrial complexes or factories, due to their scale, characteristics, or requirements, can support multiple uses, enabling the cohabitation of diverse occupants within the same space and fostering interaction between previously disparate functions.
- Location: London, United Kingdom
- Year: 2022
“The design interventions for new and restored elements harmonize with Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s architectural masterpiece, with the chimneys and turbine halls retaining their prominence within the structure.”
- Location: Porto, Portugal
- Year: 2021
“The intervention has injected vitality into this former complex comprising three distinct volumes, enriching urban vitality and rejuvenating a neighborhood currently undergoing transformation.”
- Location: Spain
- Year: 2020
“The erstwhile structure at the site bore a resemblance to numerous warehouses of its era, characterized by a concrete framework and wooden window frames. Erected in 1961, the building lay dormant for three decades.”
- Location: Vilajuïga, Spain
- Year: 2020
“Aigües de Vilajuïga is a complex of buildings intricately tied to the subterranean aquifer coursing beneath it. This underground carbonated water source has flowed incessantly since 1904, with wells and structures dotting the area serving as remnants of a hidden world that has never seen the light of day.”
Transitioning from Industrial Functions to Cultural Spaces
While many [ppp3], industrial venues are also capable of accommodating cultural activities, taking into account factors such as existing assets, natural surroundings, and other considerations during a nuanced process that amalgamates and materializes ideas, fostering utilization and engagement by the local populace. Just as in Latin America, where numerous warehouses, residences, correctional facilities, mills, and former markets have been repurposed and reimagined as cultural hubs, museums, and galleries, the adaptation for cultural purposes spans from Spain to China, encapsulating shared and diverse objectives and aspirations.
- Location: London, United Kingdom
- Year: 2022
“Occupying a warehouse within the Tate & Lyle factory complex, The Beams spans an impressive 55,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor spaces, serving as a cultural experimentation ground across various art forms.”
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- Location: Xinyang, China
- Year: 2021
“In a bid to promote sustainable development, the People’s Government of Xixian County in Xinyang plans to establish a museum centered around lime kilns. After evaluating multiple proposals, this plan was selected, integrating the new museum with the existing lime kilns and utilizing the continuous old kiln group as the iconic gateway to the geopark.”
- Location: Barberá del Vallés, Spain
- Year: 2020
“The “Nau,” a dynamic and innovative space in Barberà del Vallès, emerged from the internal reconfiguration of an industrial warehouse, now serving as a cultural hub. This venue fosters artistic creation and dissemination activities, concerts, as well as recreational and educational programs for the youth.”
- Location: Teherán, Iran
- Year: 2020
“The Argo Contemporary Art Museum & Cultural Centre, housed within a former 1920s beer distillery in Tehran’s Ahmadreza Schricker North (ASA North), has been transformed into a contemporary arts hub under the auspices of the Pejman Foundation. The facility features six distinctive gallery spaces, a permanent collection, library, artist residency, event venues, private studio apartment, art boutique, VIP observation deck, offices, and a non-alcoholic bar serving revived Argo draft beers.”