Page 186 - Beyond Decommissioning

Experience and lessons learned 167

industrial buildings to dwelling requirements one should first define the architectural
criteria affecting the quality of housing spaces. Type of dwelling, size, and spatial and
functional arrangement are key criteria for each target group. Petkovi c-Grozdanovi ca
et al. (2016) highlights numerous factors that affect this option. A tentative list of typ-
ical reuse options—other than residential units—for existing industrial properties is
given in Currituck (n.d.):
l Garages can be converted into music halls, bars, or retail space
l Warehouses can house commercial kitchens to support local food trucks, segmented artist
studios, or start-up office space for entrepreneurs
l Industrial properties with high ceilings and abundant natural light can be converted into
attractive office space
l Factories can be converted into production or testing facilities for a range of technology or
biotech industries.

Building spatial capacity
In regard of the dimensions and layout of the existing industrial buildings, the most
favorable for conversion to housings are those where the ratio between the built and
the unbuilt parts is not too big. A lower percentage of the built area allows better day-
light use and natural ventilation.
To reduce this proportion, it is possible to remove secondary building if any. How-
ever, it is critical to preserve the industrial landmarks, such as chimneys, old equip-
ment or access gates.
The low occupancy level is also favorable in terms of parking spaces for residen-
tial purposes. A lower occupancy level offers also a chance of increasing the build-
ing footprint and in this way meeting the housing needs of more and different users.
However, upgrading the spatial capacity of a building should take account of new
esthetics of the redeveloped construction, which should not deny its historical
value.
Natural lighting and ventilation
To allow the conversion of a building which was not originally designed for residential
use, adequate natural lighting of the interiors should be available. The large dimen-
sions of industrial facilities tend to favor conversion into residential buildings, but this
can become a drawback for the daylight needed for such new uses. When the dimen-
sions of the building are too large, one solution is to position all the technical and sec-
ondary facilities in the unlit central part of the building, arranging the sunlit parts as
living spaces. For very large buildings it can be necessary to insert atriums into the
central part of the structure. The atriums provide additional natural light for the whole
building and improve natural ventilation of the interiors.
Smaller buildings however, having been designed to maximize the efficiency of the
workplace, provide much natural daylight. In converting these structures, the natural
daylight can be re-adjusted to the new uses. Abundance of daylighting provides pleas-
ant working or social environments.