We believe retrofits of heritage buildings will naturally have expiration dates too. Longevity, however, can also depend on a metaphysical durability, not only a physical one, achieved via a layered interior architecture that shapes and sometimes bends to an evolving culture and use.
Our “recipes for longevity” in heritage structures are strategies for ensuring longevity in retrofitted heritage structures that looks beyond building performance.
Three case studies: SUD Forno in the transplanted Holt Renfrew building, STOCK T.C in the heritage-protected Postal Station C, and The Royal in the resuscitated 1879 Royal Hotel are each unpacked to test our assertion that the ‘secret sauce’ undeniably lies in new elements of strong character.
As the needs of society evolve, preserving historic buildings becomes a delicate balance between honoring their heritage and adapting them to meet contemporary demands. The most impactful retrofits must go beyond envelope upgrades and consider the effects details, material selection, and building systems have on resource consumption, longevity, adaptability, and recyclability.
IF The greenest building is the one that’s already built and retrofitted.
THEN We must ensure its longevity as a thriving, engaged part of our urban fabric by going beyond building performance.
CAN We look therefore to the capacity for interior architecture to build-in resilience in the form of flexibility, durability, and strong character to guarantee its best chance into the next generation.
“A Question of Character: Interior Architecture as an Instrument for Longevity in Heritage Structures,” was published in the AMPS Proceedings Series 40, Urban Futures — Cultural Pasts: Sustainable Cities, Cultures & Crafts (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona), 2025. Read the full article here, beginning on page 231.
