Adaptive Reuse & Infrastructure in Architecture

Welcome to the joint lecture series between Munster and Dassault focusing on adaptive reuse in architecture, domestic service, and SAP.
Matthias Hoffmann from Demo Working Group, an architect based in Cologne, will explore experimental approaches to adaptive reuse.

The studio's theme aligns with developing strategies for resilient buildings.
Resilience is crucial in addressing the climate crisis, where the building industry significantly contributes to global $CO_2$ emissions.
The goal is to minimize new construction and maximize the use of existing structures; new structures should be as resilient as possible.

The lecture will present seven projects by Demo Working Group, each addressing infrastructure in distinct ways.
These projects serve as case studies for broader architectural questions.

Structure: From Latin, meaning fitting together, adjustment, building, arrangement, order, assembling.
Infra: Latin for below, beneath, underneath.
Architectural interpretation: 'Infra' refers to the underlying structure, and 'structure' to the building itself.
Architecture can be seen as a negotiation between infra and structure, where structure is long-lasting and infra changes over time (e.g., building technology).

A youth house in a small Bavarian town, Kitzingen, includes a transformed former single-family house into a kindergarten and a new construction for youth activities.
The project incorporates sustainability goals into the architectural design, making them visible and accessible.
Features include a green roof, solar panels (photovoltaic and thermic), buffer tanks for storing heated water, a heating pump, rainwater collection, a winter garden, and a weather station.
The roof serves as an illustration of sustainability principles, creating a collage of elements.

A competition entry for four tram stations in Dortmund, emphasizing their role as public buildings.
The stations are located along a major transit route (B1), part of a historic trade route, Via Regina, connecting cities across Europe.
The design uses simple, bold elements to create visible and recognizable stations.
Elements include a 20-meter roof slab, U-Bahn sign, cylinder for technical facilities, slim columns, sinus curved wind protection, seating, and an LED info panel.
Stones (erratic blocks) are included as irrational natural elements, potentially sourced from different regions along the Via Regina.
The cylinder can function as a column or support a load; the U-Bahn sign can be load-bearing or act as a beam.
Functional add-ons include batteries for photovoltaic panels, floor heating powered by electricity (eco-friendly ice melting), and a water collection system for spray mist cooling.
Erratic blocks are defined as rock blocks located where they are least expected due to geophysical events or human intervention.

Cologne has 83,529 buildings (according to an open-access 3D map).
Buildings are categorized by construction volume (pink: >25,000 cubic meters, red: >50,000 cubic meters, yellow: >75,000 cubic meters).
Focus is placed on large buildings (yellow) due to their significant urban impact and potential for adaptive reuse because of bound $CO_2$ .
These large structures are primarily from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.

An unsolicited transformation study was conducted on the Stuttstandholm justice center, which is slated for demolition.
The study proposes an alternative future for the building, showcasing its architectural potential and engaging in social debates.
The design process is used as a tool to influence political decisions through architectural proposals.
The proposal suggests that the existing structure and the new design can coexist, creating a third topology.
Housing is proposed for the tower, accommodating approximately 450 apartments, addressing Cologne's housing shortage.
The existing structure's grid, orientation, and depth are well-suited for residential use.
The central circulation structure is maintained, with a new Lautengang layer added for apartments.
Various housing typologies are tested, from smaller units to larger cluster apartments.
Only the technical layers of the building are considered obsolete and can be updated with a new facade and energy production systems.

Remodeling an 80-square-meter apartment for a family of four in a large housing development.
The goal is to question the high space-per-person standard (47 square meters per person in Germany) and create a more flexible living space.
The apartment is stripped back to its primary construction, with non-load-bearing walls removed to create a continuous living and dining area.
Sliding doors are used in private areas, providing flexible boundaries between rooms.
The vertical service shaft, containing plumbing and heating elements, remains a fragment and helps zone the open space.
The remodel is considered a temporary state, adaptable to future needs.

Renovating a flat in a large structure from the 1970s in Cologne for a one or two-person household.
A new opening in the central load-bearing wall changes the perception of the floor plan, enabling circulation around the wall.
This creates new spatial relationships and integrates functions like booking and dining.
The load-bearing structure could be gradually reduced upwards, opening typological possibilities and connecting different apartments.
The role of infrastructure, particularly installation shafts and the bathroom, significantly influences the design.

Renovating an old half-timbered house (18th century) with a 1960s addition in Odenthal.
The task is to bring order to the layout, open the kitchen to the garden, create spatial expansion, and integrate a photovoltaic system.
Interventions include new infrastructure integrated into cabinetry and a programmatic reorganization.
The structure is largely untouchable due to its age and limited load reserves.
The extension is a transitional climate zone (winter garden) with a lightweight steel structure and ETFE cushions.
The new structure does not touch the existing house and is connected to the ground at two points.

A new construction project for an office and production facility for technical textiles in Langfels.
The building includes three stories of offices, a double-height storage space, and a solar chimney for natural ventilation.
The facade becomes part of the technical infrastructure with photovoltaic elements and textile shading.
The building is designed for a change of program, with the production space potentially converting to office space or housing.
The project is developed in collaboration with climate and structural engineers.
The design emerges from energy production, shading, cooling, and recyclability considerations.
The approach considers the building as future stock, which will need to be transformed.

The lecture concludes with the concept of radical optimism, inspired by Dua Lipa's album.
Despite challenging conditions, there is also a need to explore what happens around oneself and stay poised.
It's okay to pretend that there are alternatives and other options.