{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/140550"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/140550","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"If These Walls Could Talk: How Architecture, Adaptive Reuse and Historic Preservation can be one","abstract":"The Built Environment represents on of the most complex and evolving challenges in contemporary society. As populations grow and environmental pressures intensify, the need to adapt and reuse existing structures has become increasingly urgent. Adaptive reuse and historic preservation, well known practices in architecture, offer sustainable solutions that bridge cultural heritage and modern function. These strategies are widely implemented across Europe, but those strategies have not quite reached the United States. This Thesis examines how adaptive reuse and historic preservation can be integrated into the American architectural context. Particularly through smaller scale, underutilized buildings that fall outside of the traditional preservation priorities. The studies focuses on a building the Washington D.C. that is similar to many building across the city that also have had the same fate. The proposed design re-imagines the structure as a mixed use development that com-bines affordable housing with ground floor retail. By employing federal and local historic preservation tax credits, the project demonstrates how economic incentives can support sustainable, community oriented redevelopment. The resulting design provides unique unites, shared amenities and spaces the enhance the livability and connection to the existent urban fabric. Through this case study, the thesis argues that adaptive reuse and preservation can serve as powerful tools for addressing the challenges of the built environment, in this case the hosing crisis, sustainability and conservation. It advocates for more of an inclusive approach to preservation, to value the everyday historic buildings as important resources for the future development of the urban built environment.","abstract_html":"The Built Environment represents on of the most complex and evolving challenges in contemporary society. As populations grow and environmental pressures intensify, the need to adapt and reuse existing structures has become increasingly urgent. Adaptive reuse and historic preservation, well known practices in architecture, offer sustainable solutions that bridge cultural heritage and modern function. These strategies are widely implemented across Europe, but those strategies have not quite reached the United States. This Thesis examines how adaptive reuse and historic preservation can be integrated into the American architectural context. Particularly through smaller scale, underutilized buildings that fall outside of the traditional preservation priorities. The studies focuses on a building the Washington D.C. that is similar to many building across the city that also have had the same fate. The proposed design re-imagines the structure as a mixed use development that com-bines affordable housing with ground floor retail. By employing federal and local historic preservation tax credits, the project demonstrates how economic incentives can support sustainable, community oriented redevelopment. The resulting design provides unique unites, shared amenities and spaces the enhance the livability and connection to the existent urban fabric. Through this case study, the thesis argues that adaptive reuse and preservation can serve as powerful tools for addressing the challenges of the built environment, in this case the hosing crisis, sustainability and conservation. It advocates for more of an inclusive approach to preservation, to value the everyday historic buildings as important resources for the future development of the urban built environment.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Roberts, Sabrina Michelle"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Architecture","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Architecture","degree_department":"Architecture","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Piedmont-Palladino, Susan C."],"committee_members":["Burton, Michael John","Keslacy, Elizabeth Marie-Freha"],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-12-22","date_published":"2025-12-22","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:05Z","subjects":["Architecture","Adaptive Reuse","Historic Preservation"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:44643"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:44643","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10919/140550","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Piedmont-Palladino, Susan C."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Burton, Michael John","Keslacy, Elizabeth Marie-Freha"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Architecture"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Roberts, Sabrina Michelle"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-12-23T09:01:29Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-12-23T09:01:29Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025-12-22"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Architecture"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Architecture"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Architecture","Adaptive Reuse","Historic Preservation"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:44643"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10919/140550"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The Built Environment represents on of the most complex and evolving challenges in contemporary society. As populations grow and environmental pressures intensify, the need to adapt and reuse existing structures has become increasingly urgent. Adaptive reuse and historic preservation, well known practices in architecture, offer sustainable solutions that bridge cultural heritage and modern function. These strategies are widely implemented across Europe, but those strategies have not quite reached the United States. This Thesis examines how adaptive reuse and historic preservation can be integrated into the American architectural context. Particularly through smaller scale, underutilized buildings that fall outside of the traditional preservation priorities. The studies focuses on a building the Washington D.C. that is similar to many building across the city that also have had the same fate. The proposed design re-imagines the structure as a mixed use development that com-bines affordable housing with ground floor retail. By employing federal and local historic preservation tax credits, the project demonstrates how economic incentives can support sustainable, community oriented redevelopment. The resulting design provides unique unites, shared amenities and spaces the enhance the livability and connection to the existent urban fabric. Through this case study, the thesis argues that adaptive reuse and preservation can serve as powerful tools for addressing the challenges of the built environment, in this case the hosing crisis, sustainability and conservation. It advocates for more of an inclusive approach to preservation, to value the everyday historic buildings as important resources for the future development of the urban built environment."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["This thesis explore how the United States approaches the reuse and preservation of historic buildings. In Europe, many older structure have been creatively adapted for new uses- from former bathrooms turned int a coffee shop to pre World War II homes transformed into small museums. These projects show how history can be honored through everyday spaces, regardless of the sites official historic status. In contrast, adaptive reuse in the United States is a newer and less widespread practice. This research asks weather some of Europe's creative and respectful preservation ideologues could be applied in the American context. The projects investigates the relationship between adaptive reuse, historic preservation and architecture, using a self developed case study that combines ideas from the three disciplines. By taking on the perspectives of a preservationist, an architect and developer, the study proposes a design approach that respects the history, meet the needs of the present, and insure the longevity of the building, allowing it to create more history for others to look back on 70 years from now. The goal is the demonstrate how a single project can protect cultural heritage and inspire new architectural possibilities."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Architecture"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["If These Walls Could Talk: How Architecture, Adaptive Reuse and Historic Preservation can be one"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Piedmont-Palladino, Susan C."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Burton, Michael John","Keslacy, Elizabeth Marie-Freha"],"dc:contributor.department":["Architecture"],"dc:creator":["Roberts, Sabrina Michelle"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-12-23T09:01:29Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-12-23T09:01:29Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2025-12-22"],"dc:description.abstract":["The Built Environment represents on of the most complex and evolving challenges in contemporary society. As populations grow and environmental pressures intensify, the need to adapt and reuse existing structures has become increasingly urgent. Adaptive reuse and historic preservation, well known practices in architecture, offer sustainable solutions that bridge cultural heritage and modern function. These strategies are widely implemented across Europe, but those strategies have not quite reached the United States. This Thesis examines how adaptive reuse and historic preservation can be integrated into the American architectural context. Particularly through smaller scale, underutilized buildings that fall outside of the traditional preservation priorities. The studies focuses on a building the Washington D.C. that is similar to many building across the city that also have had the same fate. The proposed design re-imagines the structure as a mixed use development that com-bines affordable housing with ground floor retail. By employing federal and local historic preservation tax credits, the project demonstrates how economic incentives can support sustainable, community oriented redevelopment. The resulting design provides unique unites, shared amenities and spaces the enhance the livability and connection to the existent urban fabric. Through this case study, the thesis argues that adaptive reuse and preservation can serve as powerful tools for addressing the challenges of the built environment, in this case the hosing crisis, sustainability and conservation. It advocates for more of an inclusive approach to preservation, to value the everyday historic buildings as important resources for the future development of the urban built environment."],"dc:description.abstractgeneral":["This thesis explore how the United States approaches the reuse and preservation of historic buildings. In Europe, many older structure have been creatively adapted for new uses- from former bathrooms turned int a coffee shop to pre World War II homes transformed into small museums. These projects show how history can be honored through everyday spaces, regardless of the sites official historic status. In contrast, adaptive reuse in the United States is a newer and less widespread practice. This research asks weather some of Europe's creative and respectful preservation ideologues could be applied in the American context. The projects investigates the relationship between adaptive reuse, historic preservation and architecture, using a self developed case study that combines ideas from the three disciplines. By taking on the perspectives of a preservationist, an architect and developer, the study proposes a design approach that respects the history, meet the needs of the present, and insure the longevity of the building, allowing it to create more history for others to look back on 70 years from now. The goal is the demonstrate how a single project can protect cultural heritage and inspire new architectural possibilities."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Architecture"],"dc:format.medium":["ETD"],"dc:identifier.other":["vt_gsexam:44643"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/10919/140550"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["Architecture","Adaptive Reuse","Historic Preservation"],"dc:title":["If These Walls Could Talk: How Architecture, Adaptive Reuse and Historic Preservation can be one"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Architecture"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Architecture"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:05Z"}