Reuse Recycle

Is it worthwhile rehabilitating a ruin? For building owners who have primarily expenses or profit in mind, it scarcely is. For Peter Haimerl, however, it certainly was. The Munich architect regards his latest project on Schedlberg in the Bavarian Forest as a rescue operation in a dying building tradition. That is how he describes it in a lengthy interview.

In the present edition of Detail on the theme of reuse and recycling, we introduce this and other successful projects, in which existing structures and materials have been reactivated for fresh uses. The documentations include, among other things, housing schemes, universities and theatres – developments in which existing buildings are treated in an intelligent manner, exploiting older fabric with skilful interventions and additions.

The thematic section of this issue was conceived by Frank Kaltenbach. In an extensive contribution, he describes the remarkable transformation of a former glassworks in Barcelona into a civic centre. Harquitectes, the Catalonian architects responsible for this project, are experts in the conversion and refurbishment of existing structures. They are also the newly declared winners of the Detail Prize 2018. Other documentations describe selected projects in New York and Cologne, Cambridge and Palma de Mallorca.