Re-Inventing the Extinguished Past

Abstract

Urban form and the general subject of urban life is an ever changing architectural phenomenon. The industrialization of cities created foundations for urban life at the turn of the century. Currently these former industrial icons have been reduced to vacant, undesirable locations. A new building design for a city in this condition can reach out to the people, giving them an experience of the past in a modern way. A design with components from the industrial era can improve the aura of a city capturing its original spirit. Adaptive reuse is a component that would help a new building addition or renovation leave a lasting impression on the city, and spark development in the surrounding area. History and architecture combined is necessary to create new environments that adapt to the foundations of the city, creating a mixture of new components among the old. By drawing connections between the past and the present it can be possible to recapture and reinvent the history of a place.