Interior Re-Purpose Design
Vacant, often decaying vintage buildings in cities of almost any size have gradually been rescued from obsolescence and repurposed into meaningful spaces by innovative interior design teams.
As manufacturing and warehousing industries changed and evolved (with methods and delivery processes no longer suited to their original facilities) communities have been faced with the unique challenge of immense, empty, interior space!
Photo Courtesy of Robert Boccabella
Cavernous structures wearing astounding, irreplaceable architectural presentations and historical societies blocking destruction are just two of the factors in the dilemma. For years, some of these beautiful structures have been kept on hold, as deterioration slowly advanced – threatening to eventually leave no option but destruction. Eventually condemned, some, indeed, met that fate.
Concurrent with more and more vacancies of large-to-huge old buildings, expanding populations began demanding more facilities for both residential and small business use. Some cities began to mandate tighter “infill” requirements before expanding their commercial space zoning parameters outward. Such communities, and their design professionals, began to look more favorably on their vacant, vintage buildings as viable, re-purposing sites.
Interior conversion design presents a wide variety of both possibilities and limitations. In order to comply with contemporary mandates, many such sites must first be brought up to specific standards. Some requirements relate to removal of toxic elements such as asbestos; others may be in zones requiring earthquake retrofitting, etc. Some of such properties may be in “historical preservation” zones where other requirements (and sometimes benefits) come into play.
Depending on the specifics concerning an individual “vintage” building, repurposing concepts are numerous. Taking clues from the many metropolitan regions where conversion projects already exist, your interior design team will have many choices to offer the client who wants to bring a vacant, obsolete property back to vibrant use.
Live-and-work space conversion is a newly popular concept taken from history, when individuals by necessity lived where they plied their trade or service. Residence above and small business operation below is appealing; and, large empty buildings with soaring ceilings fostered such design possibilities.
Re-designed as large, multiple apartment complexes, other industrial shells began to help ease the demand for more urban living space while breathing new life and social energy into abandoned areas of a community. In some cases, old, large, high-ceilinged buildings have been successfully re-designed as sports facilities or athletic clubs.
Interior design teams, taking history into consideration, help communities take renewed pride in the region’s past. When vintage buildings are abandoned and left to deteriorate and eventually fall, a part of the community’s heritage is lost as well. When that heritage is respected, restored and repurposed, education and preservation are also served in the community and its region. We are fortunate, in our Mendocino and Lake Counties’ region, to have many such structures. Some have already been lost. A few have been given new, restorative treatment – to the credit of their community leaders, planners and design teams.
Preservation, repurposing and interior conversion projects tend to be contagious, often inspiring and infecting adjacent communities and regions. It’s smart to investigate all possibilities – before opting for the wrecking crew!
