New lease on life: retrofitting civic buildings for the modern era.

As the old saying goes, we only truly appreciate things when they are gone. This observation could hardly be more true than when applied to heritage buildings and the role they play in celebrating the life and character of our cities and towns.

Historic civic buildings and public arts venues are being adapted for a variety of modern operations as trends in the hospitality, professional services and health sectors have changed the focus of how we use these buildings. 

Heritage municipal buildings, art centres, and theatres are fantastic opportunities for development; investors and project teams have the opportunity to create revenue-generating assets, and rich, historic buildings see their lifecycle and vibracy restored.

However, these projects present a unique challenge to architects who must act as guardians of the original architecture and detailing; the very features that make such spaces such desirable locations for developers. Architects need to carefully balance conservation and modernisation with sustainable upgrades, while often allowing buildings to maintain business as usual throughout a retrofit or adaptive reuse programme. 

daab design Director and Conservation Architect, Anaïs Bléhaut, has worked on the revitalisation and adaptation of a number of civic and public arts buildings across London and Paris, including the Palais Garnier, the Salle Pleyel, and the Théâtre de l'Athénée. These buildings were at the forefront of the retrofit revolution in the early 2000’s where Anaïs collaborated with heritage organisations and engineers, building a strong foundation for her career in conservation. 

Opera Garnier Foyer. Photograph: France Photos

Through experience, Anaïs has sought to strike the right balance in each project, approaching the different briefs with daab’s signature macro and micro perspective and architectural thinking power, looking first at the history and context of the building, then considering the needs and opportunities for future users. 

As sustainability becomes more important to our built and natural environment, advances in technology and understanding of retrofit programmes sees specialists take a methodical and surgical approach to improving not just the functions, but the structures of listed buildings. 

At Guild, daab design thought outside the box, removing all services from the five-storey Georgian terrace into an external weatherproof spine, to allow the heritage beauty to truly sing for its’ new modern occupants. 

Sensitivity and consideration are central to the success of the modernisation of historic buildings. We must blend the old and new seamlessly, adding to and enhancing the original beauty of the building, while futureproofing it to be enjoyed for generations to come. 

Guild. Photograph: Jim Stephenson