The adaptive reuse of existing buildings : Application on library function / CLamis Ragaa Abd El Moneim Gabr ; Supervised Aly Hatem Gabr , Dalila Elkerdany

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty Of Engineering - Department Of Architectural Engineering

Recent socio - economic researches interpret The Restoration Economyas the major reigning paradigm in the 21st CenturyConsidering the current state of Human civilization , the whole humanity is now at a crucial transition from Our New DevelopmentPast to Our Restorative DevelopmentFutureIn order to reduce the ambiguity of the restorative development applied within the built environment , the principles and aspects have to be spotlightedConsequently , the research considers the complexity of the adaptive reuse which is a main process of the restorative development application in the built environmentThe research studies the adaptive reuse of old buildings , whether as valuable or obsolete , while focusing on libraries as a special building typeThe limitation to libraries is due to several reasons ; besides the systematic requirements of spaces and structure , libraries are considered a real living building typedirectly reflecting the reigned www paradigmAlso , a library is one of the passive use building types ; it presents therefore a positive control over the gentrification of the revitalized neighborhoodAll this characteristics , distinguishing the library function type , impose another layer of complexity while dealing with the adaptive reuse processThis research addresses the complex issue of the rehabilitation of existing buildings towards their conversion into modern library useIt aims at bridging the gap between well - researched academic work and practical books , whilst revealing the potentials and the problematic issues involved in the process , reconciling the different adaptive reuse concepts , methods and former international successful experiencesThe first part of the research considers adaptive reuse as one of the conservation processes , through approaching its different justifications , its main critical point - as the appropriate use selection and the consequent imposed debatesIt inspects the library as building type defining its design concerns , qualitative and quantitative requirementsIt illustrates the proand conpoints of the adaptive reuse to libraries , the extent of adaptability for library conversion in the different building typeAnd finally , it illustrates the former examples of adaptation all while emphasizing the concluded resulting criteria when assessing a building for library conversionThe second part is the study cases , where the research considers the development of adaptive reuse project to library use on both international and local level , in order to study the problematic and potential of such process and the corresponding architectural interventions

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