Old Buildings, New Ideas

A Selective Architectural History of Additions, Adaptations, Reuse and Design Invention

Françoise Astorg Bollack

• Publisher: RIBA Publishing
• Year: 2023
• Print ISBN: 9781914124693
• eBook ISBN: 9781003820802
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: Architecture General

Some architectural transformations are modest, some are revolutionary. Shining a light on the hidden side of the accepted narrative of the history of architecture, this book explores works which transform existing buildings to build a way forward, through adaptations, additions and visual shifts. Examining 30 buildings across Europe, North America and South America, spanning from the early Middle Ages to the end of the 20th century, it demonstrates the creative possibilities of working with existing buildings. The book reveals how formal inventions can shape architecture and our environment over time in a built world constantly in a state of becoming. As we face a climate emergency, it taps into our deep cultural knowledge about the inventive use and re-use of buildings. Generously illustrated with architectural plans and over 300 colour images, it provides an alternative to the dominant view which sees conservation and preservation of historic buildings as a 20th century creation.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• About the Author
• Acknowledgments
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword
• Introduction
• 1 6th to 15th Century: Roman Ruins as Shelter
• 2 15th to 18th Century: Continuity and Change
• 3 19th to Early 20th Century: Change in the Historic City
• 4 Early to Mid-20th Century: Modern Architects’ Attitudes to the Built World
• 5 Mid-20th Century: New Perspectives and the Post-War Reclamation of Urban Fragments
• 6 Late 20th Century: History as the Subject of Design
• Appendix: Wraps, Parasites, Insertions, Juxtapositions, Weavings - Typological Building List
• Bibliography
• References
• Index
• Image Credits