The adaptation and demolition of existing buildings on masterplan sites
type: CreativeWork
description: This thesis extends current adaptation theory by considering the practical realities of adaptation and demolition decisions at the masterplan scale. As existing adaptation theory mainly focuses on individual buildings or the city level, it is not sufficient for explaining decisions on large brownfield sites being redeveloped through the implementation of a masterplan. A qualitative inductive approach was used to generate new knowledge about the topic. Initially, data was gathered from interviews and focus groups with built environment professionals. In-depth case study investigations of masterplan developments containing former industrial areas were then undertaken. The locations were Cambridge, UK; Eindhoven, Netherlands; and Sydney, Australia. Examining decisions in these different contexts unpacked the realities of how and why adaptation decisions on masterplan sites are made in practice. For individual buildings, existing literature argues that the physical attributes of a building are the major factor in decisions to adapt or demolish, due to their impact on construction costs. At the masterplan scale, these factors are still applicable. However, the primary data analysis shows there is a different interpretation of economic viability as costs can be offset elsewhere within large developments, and that there are a number of additional issues considered at the masterplan scale. These include the relative scale of buildings and considerations of vehicle and pedestrian flow through the site. There are two benefits of building retention which are commonly cited in the academic literature: conservation of heritage and savings in materials, and therefore savings in embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions. In practice, the role of heritage was found to be frequently considered at an individual building level and in some instances is thought out at a larger physical scale, notably as part of place-making within a masterplan. However, embodied impacts were found to…
abstract: This thesis extends current adaptation theory by considering the practical realities of adaptation and demolition decisions at the masterplan scale. As existing adaptation theory mainly focuses on individual buildings or the city level, it is not sufficient for explaining decisions on large brownfield sites being redeveloped through the implementation of a masterplan. A qualitative inductive approach was used to generate new knowledge about the topic. Initially, data was gathered from interviews and focus groups with built environment professionals. In-depth case study investigations of masterplan developments containing former industrial areas were then undertaken. The locations were Cambridge, UK; Eindhoven, Netherlands; and Sydney, Australia. Examining decisions in these different contexts unpacked the realities of how and why adaptation decisions on masterplan sites are made in practice. For individual buildings, existing literature argues that the physical attributes of a building are the major factor in decisions to adapt or demolish, due to their impact on construction costs. At the masterplan scale, these factors are still applicable. However, the primary data analysis shows there is a different interpretation of economic viability as costs can be offset elsewhere within large developments, and that there are a number of additional issues considered at the masterplan scale. These include the relative scale of buildings and considerations of vehicle and pedestrian flow through the site. There are two benefits of building retention which are commonly cited in the academic literature: conservation of heritage and savings in materials, and therefore savings in embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions. In practice, the role of heritage was found to be frequently considered at an individual building level and in some instances is thought out at a larger physical scale, notably as part of place-making within a masterplan. However, embodied impacts were found to…
author: Baker, Hannah
language: en
keywords: Adaptation, Demolition, Masterplan, Heritage, Embodied Carbon, Adaptive reuse, Urban Planning
license: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/752f9bb8-66c7-47ee-9fc7-e8eeb88e3811/download
license: https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/
date published: 2020-04-25
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:23:56Z
provider: Cambridge University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Cambridge

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.17863/CAM.50098