Adaptation

Adaptive reuse of older and historic buildings can enhance our understanding of community resources and provide a sustainable method for housing new programs. We pride ourselves on our ability to provide rehabilitation of historic buildings, bringing physical integrity back to worn buildings while conserving their embodied energy, creatively installing new uses, and enhancing their wonderful historic fabric. (below: Gelfand Partners office in the landmark James Lick Baths building)

Whether the buildings are listed landmarks, contributory to a district, or just nice old buildings, we work to enhance those qualities of historic buildings often missing from today’s construction while implementing contemporary life safety, accessibility and structural systems. In our housing projects we often hear the residents’ identification with the robustness of their old building, and their yearning for a return of its former pride. (below: Kelly Cullen Community: entry stair reopened)

And few things are more sustainable than reusing existing buildings. Because the vast majority of the buildings to be occupied during the next 30 years are already constructed, existing buildings are the most important places to realize big changes now and in the near future. Great new buildings are the equivalent of doing no harm. Great renovations begin to heal the planet.