Boomer Buildings

Book excerpt: This book presents six case-study buildings, each more than a generation old, that were on the brink of oblivion. In each case, Mitchell Giurgola Architects worked closely with the client to determine how the 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 analysed, from its energy use and curtain-wall performance to its mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, and structural stability. The results are born-again buildings created for a fraction of the cost and cosuming far fewer materials than a new facility built from scratch. Mitchell Giurgola documents a new, more sustainable approach to design and construction that builds on the past, and makes the old better than new.