Similar but Different

Architecturally, the term “adaptive reuse” is normally used to describe the remodeling of buildings for new purposes. This study argues that this process actually plays a wider role in building design, and that it applies in particular to the repurposing of non-architectural elements as building components as well as the reuse of architectural plans to accommodate new programs. The term “adjustive” reuse is introduced to describe the minor modification of abstract models such as building types to meet varying specific contexts. Adjustive reuse is shown to differ from its adaptive counterpart because primary purpose is typically preserved, the existing form is abstract rather than physical, and the process can be repeated indefinitely. Despite these important differences, it is shown that the success of both processes depends on the same two critical thinking skills: the recognition of essential similarities and key differences between an established form and a new context. The capacity for comparative analyses of common building types to improve the application of these skills in the adaptive reuse of buildings is examined, and potential implications for design theory and architectural practice are discussed.