Adaptive Reuse Case Study

The Flour Mill

In this exploration I researched with a group different locations and meanings of adaptive reuse. The specific site that I chose was the Flour Mill in Spokane, WA, which was an actual working flour mill at one time before it was transformed into a retail space. Working within a group for this was helpful because we were all researching very similar topics but different locations; collaborating helped me see different people's perspectives. In terms of the topic we researched, it was interesting to discover that many locations in America are part of the National Historic Registry to preserve their original integrity and character. Many locations are similar in this sense. The meaning of adaptive reuse is taking an existing space and changing some aspects of it, mostly aesthetically, while maintaining the original history of the space. The Flour Mill includes many structural aspects that were there at the initiation of the building, but the use of the space is now used for shopping and dining.

Habitat for Humanity Tiempo Commons

In this project, the Palouse Habitat for Humanity is in the beginning stages of its newest project in Moscow, Idaho. Working in a group environment with two other interior designers, we designed a space for the future inhabitants of this new home. With square footage limitations as well as a fairly modest budget, our work was pretty well cut out for us. Following Habitat's mantra of "simple, decent, and affordable", we planned a two story home with three bedrooms and two bathrooms with plenty of family space to encourage a sense of belonging and community. Our concept and inspiration of "roots" comes from both the literal aspect of the scenery of the Palouse, in addition to the conceptual aspect of the partner family planting their roots in a new environment. 

With no partner family selected yet, we decided to allow many different options for family dynamics in this house. The downstairs is built with aging in place in mind, with five foot turn-arounds in the kitchen and bathroom, and side by side washer dryers with pocket doors used as much as possible. Upstairs, there exists a family space/study area that can serve a multitude of functions depending on the residents. Having the space as small as it is was definitely a challenge for our group. However, it was very eye-opening to think so consciously about a volunteer project such as this; keeping in mind that volunteers are in fact the main source of labor. These limitations allowed us to recognize the amount of work and thought that goes into a Habitat for Humanity home, and I certainly hope to contribute to one in the future.

Graphic representation of living spaces and materials

Concept statement, floor plans, and exterior elevation