Abstract:
The practice of architectural and urban design being involved in forming the space in our cities
and built environments has certain effects on the social life in society that in its turn conditions
the performance of the practice. The continuous changes in cities and societies, however, are
just partially caused by the practice of architectural and urban design. In a fluid context of social
and spatial transformations, the control and manipulation of the effects of the practice become
yet more complicated entailing a deeper understanding of the nature of urban transformations
and the dialectic between urban life and its spatial frames in cities. The objective of this thesis is
to improve this understanding.
The thesis deals with discourses in the fields of theory of architecture, architectural and urban
design practice and sociology. It examines the concepts of society, space and culture and
discuses the content and historical context of predominant urban design ideas and concepts in
different periods. All of these factors must then be integrated with new construction in order to
continue the narrative of the building. “The building already has a story; all you have to do is add
the interesting next chapter."
Throughout this paper, discussions will take place on how exactly we add this next chapter. The
study will be made to look at the theories in conservation as a tool in which to establish
coherence and unity in the presentation of an adaptive reuse project. Through the use of
evolution, scarring, layering, and display, principles will emerge as a way in which to embrace
storytelling as a process to communicate what once belonged to the past and explain what has
emerged as part of the present function.
This article focuses on the protection and development of old buildings cultural characteristics
oriented to the concept of recycle culture, so as to provide a theoretical reference for a
sustainable urban culture.
