Adaptive reuse was a prominent theme of the 2022 Monterey Design Conference, held at Asilomar Hotel in Pacific Grove, CA on October 28-30. Omgivning was a Emerging Talent presenter for our focus on the revitalization of downtown Los Angeles through the adaptive reuse of existing buildings and spaces.

Here is an engaging presentation by the firm’s Director of Hospitality Projects, Morgan Sykes Jaybush.

Video courtesy of aecKnowledge and AIA California arcCA DIGEST

Adaptive Reuse

Sustainability. Housing. Community.

Amid the ongoing housing, climate, and public health crises facing our world today, the spaces affecting our lives are undergoing tectonic and likely irreversible shifts.

Since our founding in 2009, we at Omgivning have been committed to exploring the design needs of this new era and becoming increasingly convinced of the importance and urgency of reusing existing buildings. Adaptive reuse architecture breathes new life into existing structures by repurposing them for new use. And as Omgivning knows, and so many more are now learning, adaptive reuse makes for more sustainable construction, more thriving communities, and more creative solutions to the pressing issues found in cities everywhere.

A recent AIA Firm Survey found that almost half (48%) of all projects currently being pursued by U.S. firms involve the renovation, rehabilitation, extension, or preservation of existing buildings. In fact, according to Bloomberg, for the first time in 20 years, renovations have overtaken new construction in architectural billings in the U.S. Omgivning's focus on the creative reuse of commercial spaces allows us to help clients navigate this unprecedented landscape with innovative and cost-effective solutions.

As with all of our work, the goal of this design report is to inspire people to take a closer look at the potential of an existing space or property. Together, we can reveal and attain a site's highest and best use, even under challenging conditions.

This is the continuation of our Office/Commercial to Residential Design Report, exploring three Case Study projects with large floor plates. Read Part 1 here.

Design Ideas

To make our case, we analyzed existing conditions at three specific commercial sites in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Memphis and developed case studies for their conversion to housing. Our vision incorporates new operational models along with recommendations for their adaptive reuse.

While remaining committed to human-centered design, we feel we can help clients achieve efficiency and higher rent- or lease-ability, while also directly appealing to tenant needs with unique unit layouts and amenities.

Important take-aways from these case studies and our other project experience include:
• Creative design opportunities with long, deep units
• Better design solutions for indoor and outdoor connections
• More unique amenities utilizing extra space at the "belly" of the building
• Innovative options to combine building amenities for office tenants and new residential tenants

An initiative of the AIA|LA Government Outreach Committee w/ the Leadership & Support of Omgivning

AIA Los Angeles is making on recommendations to the City of Los Angeles to prioritize housing production and preservation, and include specific solutions to address our ongoing housing and homelessness crisis.

With the help of Omgivning, an open letter has been crafted and sent to Mayor Karen Bass with Recommendations to Improve & Advance Adaptive Reuse Citywide.

Adaptive reuse is the repurposing of buildings that have outlived their original use. Through Adaptive Reuse, the rich architectural heritage of our buildings, many of which are cultural components of a city, can be preserved all while reinforcing sustainable principles. It's not just historic buildings that are candidates for adaptive reuse. Buildings from any period and any architectural style can be considered for adaptive reuse.

Presented are three examples of buildings from different eras. The three case studies examine the adaptive reuse conditions and challenges for California buildings built in the 1920s, the 1950s, and the 1980s from a commercial building to housing.

This is adaptive reuse in action.

Case Study #1 - 1920s - Lane Building Change of Use to Short Stay Residential Units

Case Study #2 - 1950s - San Jose City of Hall Change of Use to Affordable Residential Units

Case Study #3 - 1980s - 2 N. Lake Change of Use from Office to Residential Units

Adaptive Reuse Architecture breathes new life into existing structures by repurposing them for new use. This can mean converting their original use into something functional for the current surrounding area, such as housing, workspaces, community centers, or mixed-use creative venues. Combating climate change is an additional benefit of building reuse through sustainable practices. Omgivning believes that adaptive reuse of buildings can help solve housing issues and the climate crisis in cities everywhere.

100 North Main is a mid-century skyscraper in the city of Memphis, Tennessee, and presents itself as an ideal case study for large-scale adaptive reuse. This once-thriving building in a former bustling neighborhood has now seen better days (a common story in cities nationwide). Built in 1965, the tallest building in Memphis has been empty since 2016. Reusing this building can create a sense of place by reviving a forgotten part of downtown, energizing it with a modern aesthetic for both living and working.

Cities all over the country are grappling with an aging stock of high-rise buildings. The trend has been to move outward, creating urban sprawl which is defined as unrestricted growth in urban areas of housing, commercial development, and roads over large expanses of land, with little concern for urban planning. The pandemic did not help the situation, leaving center cities with very little action. Omgivning believes in revitalization by building back a thriving community and driving density back into once dense neighborhoods with the adaptive reuse of existing buildings.

Using the tallest building in Memphis, Tennessee as a case study, Omgivning takes a deep dive into activating an inactive block of downtown Memphis, realizing its potential as a diverse and vibrant community.

100 North Main
Built in 1965, 100 North Main is a 37-story, midcentury skyscraper. Once a bank and office building, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has been vacant since 2016.



This building and the block surrounding is a canvas for rebuilding a community that can act as a catalyst for economic development throughout downtown Memphis. Omgivning and Development Group 18 Main explores turning this historic building into 542 affordable housing units, offering a broad range of unit types to support a diversity of user/family needs.

"Inside the Issues" is a show on Spectrum News 1 SoCal, hosted by Alex Cohen. In the May 2022 episode, Cohen interviews experts from across Southern California to discuss the state's growing housing affordability crisis. Omgivning Found and Principal, Karin Liljegren, FAIA is interviewed about the positive impact adaptive reuse has in sustainbility and in helping solve the Los Angeles housing crisis.

Low Rise, High Stakes: What New State Laws Mean for Housing Policy, Residential Architecture, and Neighborhood Development in Los Angeles

Omgivning's Karin Liljegren and Albert Escobar presented in a discussion about California's SB9 and their award winning concept for low-rise density buildings. Watch this clip for Liljegren and Escobar's portion of the panel

Co-sponsored by Third LA and the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West, this panel features architects, housing experts, and city planners that will consider the impact of Senate Bill 9, which allows single-family lots to be subdivided to hold up to four residential units, as well as other new state housing legislation. The discussion focused on strategies to promote affordability, neighborhood cohesion, and multigenerational living as the City works to locate housing closer to transit lines and job centers.

Moderated by Christopher Hawthorne, Chief Design Officer for the City of Los Angeles and Director of the Third L.A. Series at USC Dornsife, the panel also featured Thomas Robinson and Michael Faulkner from LEVER Architecture; Matt Glesne and Sarah Molina-Pearson from Los Angeles Department of City Planning; and Alejandro Gonzalez from Genesis LA.

Could L.A.’s Empty Office Buildings Be Turned Into Housing? The Answer Is Complicated

With more Californians working from home during the pandemic - and with some companies planning to make that remote work permanent - a lot of Los Angeles office buildings are sitting vacant at the same time the city is in the midst of a severe housing crisis. Could the former be the solution to the latter? Enter adaptive reuse, the practice of repurposing existing buildings for new uses. The Metropolitan Building in downtown L.A. is one example: it originally contained medical offices and shops; now it’s home to loft apartments. However, not every office building is so easily adapted. The shape and design of the original space are all key factors that affect the viability of an adaptive reuse project. On this episode of AirTalk, Larry discusses the visions and challenges of adaptive reuse in Los Angeles with founder of the adaptive reuse architecture firm Omgivning, Karin Liljegren.

Listen below: