Building in Existing Contexts
Building in existing fabric conserves resources, saves energy, and reduces carbon emissions – good reasons to choose conversion over new build. Yet there is another, less tangible dimension: time. With additions and adaptations, patina and cracks, it leaves its mark and stores memories in the buildings. The school where you learned to read, the factory that fed half the village, the church where your parents were married, or your grandparents’ farm – such places shape the identity of a community. To carry these stories forward requires sensitivity to materials, spaces, and histories. Deciding what remains and what is replaced demands careful judgment. The spectrum of approaches and solutions is wide. Some interventions are so discreet that only trained eyes notice them, often compared by architects to the restoration of a classic car. Others are more radical: ceiling panels titled and set diagonally into a room, or large atriums cut into the existing architecture. At times, we may need to rethink our ingrained aesthetics and ask whether materials with a problematic reputation – such as fibre cement panels (Eternit) – can still be used, or whether cut edges might be left uncovered. With time as a fourth dimension, building becomes a dialogue between past, present, and future. The projects in this issue that work with and on existing structures cast a special light on this theme. Take your time. Barbara Zettel




Projects in this Issue
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Renovation brings clarity and cohesion
Collège Maryse Bastié in Dole by Tectoniques Architectes
During the renovation of the secondary school, Tectoniques Architectes unified the disparate buildings in terms of structure and design. The labyrinthine layout was reorganised and the building was raised and clad in a new, largely uniform exterior.
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Winner of the Aga Khan Award
Jahad Metro Plaza in Teheran by KA Architecture Studio
The new underground entrance at Meydan-e Jahad in Tehran shows how urban spaces can be enhanced without any commercial involvement. Mohamad Khavarian and his firm KA Architecture Studio won the 2025 Aga Khan Award for their barrel-vaulted brick construction.
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Winner of the Aga Khan Award
Community Centre near Hohhot by Zhang Pengyu
Zhang Pengyu and his architectural firm have won this year's Aga Khan Award for their design for a multi-ethnic community centre in Wusutu near Hohhot. In the 47-year history of the award, this is only the third winner from the People's Republic of China.
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Residential building in an old barn
Dirnbergergut in Upper Austria by Moser und Hager
Moser und Hager are converting the Dirnbergergut, a historic square farmstead in Upper Austria, into a multi-generational house. As a first step they built a new residential building in the historic barn.
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Revitalised laboratory building
University Building in Enschede by Civic Architects
Civic Architects have imaginatively adapted the Langezijds laboratory building, dating from 1972, for the Institute of Geoinformation at the University of Twente in Enschede in the Netherlands.
Further Contributions on the Topic
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Careful restoration
Pierre and Colette Soulages Primary School by NAS Architecture
NAS Architecture has transformed the former Montpellier Conservatory into a primary school, combining history with modernity through the use of a light-flooded patio and exposed structures.
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Tour de force in timber construction
University Building in Arkansas by Grafton Architects and Modus Studio
Grafton Architects' first timber construction is located at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. In collaboration with the local firm Modus Studio, they designed a transparent building that brings together workshops, a lecture hall, and design studios under one roof.
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Preserving historical heritage
Revitalisation of the Church of Sant Esteve near Barcelona
Targeted interventions by Santamaria Arquitectes have secured and revitalised this Romanesque church.
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Building bridges to nature
Santiago de Compostela Railway Station by Estudio Herreros
The extension of the historic railway station in Santiago de Compostela builds bridges in two ways: it links different modes of transport and it connects the city centre with the southern suburbs surrounding the Ciudad de la Cultura.
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Metal workshop becomes gourmet temple
Camaraderie Restaurant in Houston by Schaum Architects
Schaum architects have converted a former metal workshop in the Houston Heights district into a 75-seat restaurant. While retaining the corrugated iron aesthetic and supporting structure of the old building, the space has been given a completely new atmosphere.
Previous Issues
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Roofs 10.2025
Can architectural firms keep reinventing the roof? Since 2019, we know the answer is yes! In our new issue, we present various projects with different types of use.
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Building for Children 9.2025
No phase of life is more formative than childhood, and the buildings children experience leave lasting impressions. In this issue we profile child-focused environments realised both as new builds and through adaptive reuse.
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Regional Building Culture 7/8.2025
Traditional building forms have undergone repeated revivals and rejections throughout architectural history. In the current issue, we take a look at various projects.
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Circular Construction 6.2025
The cradle-to-cradle principle envisions buildings returning to the natural cycle after use. Find out how different the approaches and hurdles are in DETAIL 6.2025.
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Facades 5.2025
The facade is a building’s most outward-facing element. The projects featured in this issue reveal the diverse ways architecture firms approach the art of cladding
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Solid Construction 4.2025
Around 75 % of residential buildings in Germany are made of masonry. This enduring preference reflects growing confidence in solid construction and provides the impetus for dedicating this issue of Detail to the topic.
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Urban Housing 3.2025
Building plots are becoming scarce, housing costs are soaring, and apartments in new developments are shrinking. The model has shifted from suburban houses to urban living. But what does that mean?
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Digital and Sustainable 1-2.2025
What lies ahead for architecture in the digital age? To gain insight, we surveyed architects from around the globe on the role of artificial intelligence. The result is a fascinating snapshot of their perspectives.
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Masonry 12.2024
In addition to the winning projects of the Detail Award, our December issue takes us to masonry buildings in France and southern England and to Danish brick construction.
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Timber Construction + Prefabrication 11.2024
From residential estates and office complexes to an observation tower and an Olympic milestone in Paris, this issue showcases the versatility of timber construction through seven exemplary projects.
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Building Envelopes 10.2024
While many new residential buildings are generic investor projects using cheap materials, Paris continues to lead with experimental milestones in the use of natural building materials. We present these building envelopes in this issue.
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New Work 9.2024
New Work is a widely used term these days, but its meaning often remains unclear. In this concept edition of Detail, we let current projects illustrate these changes rather than providing rigid definitions.
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Building in the Mountains 7/8.2024
From the metropolis to the solitude of the mountains: In our summer issue, we explore two highly contrasting subjects. The Olympic Games in Paris and Building in the Mountains.
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Climate and Resources 6.2024
Sustainability encompasses various practices, all aimed at reducing carbon emissions. With this June issue, we spotlight six diverse projects that are taking steps towards a climate-neutral future in very different ways.
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New Housing in Old Stock 5.2024
The focus should be on developing housing within existing buildings and settlementstructures – through conversions, additions, extensions, and densification. Our new issue illustrates how this can be achieved.
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Balconies, Loggias, Terraces 4.2024
Out into the open! Our April issue delves into the construction and design of buildings with balconies, terraces, loggias, and arcades. We hope you enjoy exploring these features.
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Schools 3.2024
Is it possible to reduce costs and guarantee quality simultaneously in construction? As we embark on the new year, we confront a pressing issue that will accompany us for some time to come.
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Simple + Cost-Efficient 1/2.2024
Is it possible to reduce costs and guarantee quality simultaneously in construction? As we embark on the new year, we confront a pressing issue that will accompany us for some time to come.
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Increasing Density 12.2023
This December issue is dedicated to urban density and the architectural solutions needed to achieve it. While we understand the necessity of densification, few are eager to sacrifice their own space.
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Natural Building Materials 11.2023
In the last decade, timber construction has rapidly gained ground in the building industry. Our current issue documents multi-layered examples of the detailed application of natural building materials.
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Windows and Facades 10.2023
Facades have always had many roles to play. They give buildings a face, protect them from the elements, and convey meaning. The examples presented in this issue highlight the merits of thoughtful facades.
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Mixed Use 9.2023
We selected exciting projects for our September issue, focussing on mixed use concepts. They include residential and office spaces, sports halls and gastronomic functions and many more within their complex programs.
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Saving Space 7/8.2023
Space is a type of resource we bring to light in this summer edition of Detail. Our Documentation section features innovative structures that make clever use of limited space.
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Architecture and Climate Protection 6.2023
Anyone asking the inevitable question about climate protection in architecture today will receive not one but many answers.
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Truth to Materials 4.2023
Debates about building materials in architecture inevitably mention the term “truth to materials” (known in German as “Materialgerechtigkeit”).
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Hotels, Hostels, Guesthouses 3.2023
Few sectors of the economy were so battered during the corona years as the hotel industry.
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Taking Stock 1/2.2023
Not only in Germany and Europe but also worldwide, building in existing structures is currently gaining in acceptance and relevance.
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Building Envelopes 12.2022
While compiling our personal favourites of the year in the Detail editorial office, I was surprised at the vast scope of projects my colleagues had experienced in 2022. For this issue’s review of the year, they describe their architectural observations in places like Jerusalem, Berlin, and Montagnana, Italy.
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Circular Economy 11.2022
If the aim is net zero, demolition and landfill disposal must be avoided at all costs. Today, a progressive architecture is one that takes part in the circular economy and reuses building materials.
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Lighting Interiors 10.2022
Our October issue is all about light and interiors. PPAG’s school in Vienna brings daylight into deep cluster spaces to foster daily well-being.
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Cultural Buildings 9.2022
In 1997, the Guggenheim Museum opened in Bilbao, and Frank Gehry’s eccentric new building transformed the Basque city into an overnight hotspot for international tourism.
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Urban Green 7/8.2022
Especially in big dense cities, roofs and facades are the only places left to make things greener.
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Simple and Affordable 6.2022
“Doing away with everything superfluous creates the potential for an architectural quality all of its own,” says Florian Nagler about “simple building” in an interview with Frank Kaltenbach.
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Prefabrication Modular Construction 5.2022
Naturstein und Hochlochziegel, Ortbeton und Stampflehm in vorproduzierten Elementen: Für die Massivbauweise kommen viele unterschiedliche Materialien in Frage, und oft ist ihre Anwendung regional motiviert.
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Solid Construction 4.2022
Natural stone and perforated bricks, cast-in-place concrete, and rammed earth in prefabricated elements – these are just a few of the diverse materials used in solid construction, and their use is often regionally motivated.
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Urban Housing 3.2022
“A villa in the countryside with a large terrace, in front of you the Baltic Sea, Friedrichstrasse behind you …”. Thus begins Kurt Tucholsky’s 1927 poem, “The Ideal”. While Tucholsky’s ideal of urban life might be unattainable in Berlin, there are cities where it has become a reality.




