Page 38 - Beyond Decommissioning

The fundamentals of industrial redevelopment 19

Fig. 2.2 Emscher Park, Germany.
Photo by Laraia (2014).

In adaptive reuse, the building or site in question needs to be appreciated in many
ways, including spatial links and configurations, the relationship between the site and
its geographical surroundings, and signs of past operations. “Adaptive reuse is the
most radical approach to reuse: instead of keeping what still fits, you make it fit so
that you can keep all” (GMF, 2016).
However, adaptive reuse presents challenges that can make adaptation of industrial
buildings problematic. An issue occasionally known as the “Frankenstein Syndrome”
can be found in the specialist literature (Nosta, 2013); it means that adaptive reuse can
fail because of the intrusion of a new, incompatible scheme into an existing one. By
scheme it is meant to refer to the spirit, resilience and will of a space to remain
unchanged. A simple way to understand this issue is to ask the question: Can all build-
ings be used for a totally new and different purpose than the original one? Could the
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier be used as a residence? The awareness of this and other
issue often makes owners decide for demolition rather than adaptive reuse. Fre-
quently, the inherent risks and complications linked with adaptive reuse are perceived
to outweigh the expected rewards (Sugden, 2017). Barriers to adaptive reuse include,
but are not limited to:
1. a poor maintenance record leaving the site in a deteriorated condition beyond remedy
(Fig. 2.3);
2. remaining contamination such as radiation, asbestos, and other hazardous substances; and
3. lack of consensus on reuse option among interested parties.