One of the most notable trends in the past 20 years for interior design and architecture is the concept of adaptive reuse, which involves the restoration of a historic building for a different use than its original intended purpose. Adaptive reuse is most often practiced in urban centers where space for new construction is scarce.
Designers from Mumbai to Manila have implemented adaptive reuse in the development of commercial and art hubs as well as museums, hotels, cafes, and offices. Some of the historic buildings “rescued” for adaptive reuse range from heritage homes and government offices to warehouses and factories.
We examine this trend as we look at various buildings that have been restored through adaptive reuse, with an emphasis on how the practice has retained the building’s cultural relevance.
Adaptive reuse is one of the many trends that defined 2024 in Asia’s design and architecture field. Learn more about the “biophilic” trend for hotels and resorts in Hotels and Resorts In Asia With Nature-Inspired Architecture.
5 Buildings In Asia Restored Through Adaptive Reuse
Buildings restored through adaptive reuse often find new purpose in modern times. From an old movie theater turned cultural hub in Kuala Lumpur to Southeast Asia’s first tea factory in Vietnam, these buildings have retained their place in history with a renewed sense of purpose.
1. Open Atelier, Mumbai: The HQ of Adaptive Reuse
Open Atelier’s offices is not just a prime illustration of adaptive reuse, but it’s also the headquarters of one of its practitioners. The bungalow that houses Open Atelier was restored using minimally invasive techniques that still maintain the character and heritage of the original building.
Some of the techniques employed in Open Atelier’s restoration include the use of communal spaces and suspended lighting as well as complimentary colors and vintage-inspired flooring. The result is an office designed with elements that enhance the old-world appeal of the original building.
2. REXKL, Kuala Lumpur: An Old Cinema Finds New Life
Photo: Tripadvisor
What was once the Rex Theater on Kuala Lumpur’s Jalan Sultan has become a mixed-use hub for a new generation. The graffiti-inspired paint job on REXKL’s exteriors reflects its next-gen spirit, and the raw interiors provide a backdrop for colorful, creative stores and activities that appeal to a youthful crowd.
REXKL contains a dedicated space for exhibitions, art workshops, and events. There is also a food court and a café for hot meals and people-watching. Rounding out REXKL’s commercial roster are clothing stores and a bookstore that overlooks the theater area.
3. National Museum of Natural History, Manila: From Government Office to Must-Visit Attraction
The City of Manila is home to museums restored through adaptive reuse, but looking at the dizzying sights of the National Museum of Natural History—especially its iconic “Tree of Life” installation—it’s easy to forget that the original building, designed by Antonio Toledo, once housed the Department of Tourism.
The museum not only retains most of Toledo’s design, complete with its Corinthian columns at the entrance, but its interiors combine neoclassical elements with a modern edge. The interiors include marble floors with decorative motifs inspired by the indigenous groups of the Philippines.
4. Siriraj Bimuksthan Museum, Bangkok: A Testament to Thai Medicine
The Siriraj Bimuksthan Museum is housed at the former Thonburi railway station in Bangkok Noi. This museum is an extension of the Siriraj Museum, another adaptive-reuse project which restored the former Siriraj Hospital to house exhibits related to science and medicine in Thailand.
Siriraj Bimuksthan’s exhibits continue the original museum’s emphasis on healthcare, but with a focus on Thai medicine and the history of Siriraj Hospital as a medical facility. Exhibits also include antiques and historical narratives of both Thonburi Station and the Bangkok Noi neighborhood.
5. Cau Dat Tea Museum, Da Lat: A Celebration of Tea
Photo: ArchDaily
The restoration of Cau Dat Tea Museum is significant to the history of Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Vietnam’s first tea museum is also Southeast Asia’s first tea factory, and the efforts to restore the building, first constructed in 1929 by the French, are meant to retain the structure’s connections to its storied history.
The main warehouse of the factory now serves as a cultural hub with exhibition spaces and function halls, but with the factory’s original equipment retained as part of the museum exhibit. The facilities also contain a tea house with sommeliers serving Cau Dat tea, as well as a theater and a play area for kids.
For an unforgettable stay with a side serving of history, we invite you to Experience A Fairytale Life: Stay in 8 of the World’s Finest Castles and Palaces.
Finding Purpose Through Adaptive Reuse
Purists may scoff at the thought of a historic building being reused for commercial purposes, but adaptive reuse practitioners say that restoring old buildings is more cost-effective than new construction, since it uses existing materials within the property itself. The challenge is to keep the building’s historical character inside and out.
At a moment when unused buildings are scheduled for demolition to make way for new development, adaptive reuse feels like a radical concept. Embracing the concept means re-examining the roles of both history and architecture in the development of a city’s identity and deciding what it means to be true to purpose.
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Featured Image by National Museum of Natural History
