In an age of diminishing natural resources, architects and their clients need to know about an environmentally sustainable alternative to new construction: new life for old buildings. This book presents six case-study buildings, each more than a generation old, that were on the brink of oblivion. Mitchell Giurgola Architects worked
closely with the client to determine how each project could be salvaged by incorporating updated program elements to serve a new generation of users.
All six case studies present in detail how each project is analyzed, from its energy use and curtain-wall performance to its mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, and
structural stability. The buildings often expand in size, with a seamless melding of new and old. Contemporary curtain walls not only improve building performance, but also lend a fresh aesthetic appeal. The results are born- again buildings created for a fraction of the cost and
consuming far fewer materials than, a new facility built from scratch.
Today, our cities and suburbs are peppered with buildings of the same era as those profiled here that are on the brink of failure and are excellent candidates for rebirth.
Mitchell Giurgola documents a new, more sustainable approach to design and construction that builds on the past, and makes the old better than new