Last week saw a bit of a first for Future Cape Town. After hosting 14 successful #citytalk tweetchats with various collaborators, we did our first ever tweetchat mashup with Sarah Heffern and Kayla Jonas Galvin from the #builtheritage chat. Suitably, we called it #cityheritage and our topic of discussion was building reuse – the act of finding new purposes for old buildings that no longer fulfil the function they were originally designed for.
We were joined by Twitter users from all over the world, with participants from Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and South America (Oceania residents were probably in bed). Hundreds of tweets were shared over the course of our six questions and sixty minute chat, and these are our highlights.
Building reuse champions
Which projects are leading the way, showing the world how to imaginatively and successfully reuse heritage buildings?
A1: Prallsville Mill on the D&R Canal as arts & non-profit office space drms-stockton.org #cityheritage
— Jennifer W. Hanson (@ammodramus88) March 6, 2013
A1: This may say too much about me, but this is one of my favorites: churchbrew.com #cityheritage
— PresNation Live (@PresNationLive) March 6, 2013
A1: Former hotel in #hamont now artist studios and coffee house! studioshotelhamilton.com #Cityheritage
— Kayla Jonas Galvin (@jonaskayla) March 6, 2013
A1: London’s Oxo Tower. Once a power station, then a cold store, now design shops and social housing en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OXO_Tower #cityheritage
— Joe Peach (@thisbigcity) March 6, 2013
Building reuse barriers
Though most cities have examples of heritage buildings that have taken on new meaning, what’s holding back other projects from taking place?
A2: Lack of imagination! #cityheritage
— Sean Young (@SustainblHeritg) March 6, 2013
A2 Funding funding funding. Even property owners who believe in preservation still need help making it happen. #cityheritage
— jenny hay (@ajennyh) March 6, 2013
A2: Lack of incentives to owners to preserve & resuse heritage buildings. Many a bldgs in oldcity areas get torn down in India #Cityheritage
— urbanmusings (@urbanmusing) March 6, 2013
A2: Finding the right user. Often people/institutions that need new space are unaware of less traditional options. #cityheritage
— Jonathan Tarr (@plannerthon) March 6, 2013
Community engagement
Historic buildings are often an embedded part of local culture, so what can be done to ensure communities are engaged in their redevelopment?
A3: consultation is key – need to keep locals involved and in favour – they will be supporting the buildings into the future! #cityheritage
— Sean Young (@SustainblHeritg) March 6, 2013
@jonaskayla A3: opportunities to invest w/ crowdfunding, public charettes held on site, meetings held locally not @ city hall #cityheritage
— Lucas Lindsey (@urbnist) March 6, 2013
A3: Educating communities on the possibilites is often the 1st step. Get their imaginations engaged – “what could be” #cityheritage
— Vicky Soderberg (@CygnetUpdates) March 6, 2013
@jonaskayla A3: opportunities to invest w/ crowdfunding, public charettes held on site, meetings held locally not @ city hall #cityheritage
— Lucas Lindsey (@urbnist) March 6, 2013
Making building reuse easier
What kind of changes need to happen to encourage building reuse?
A4: Money talks. If it makes more sense to convert than to build new, you’ve just encouraged building reuse.#cityheritage
— Joe Peach (@thisbigcity) March 6, 2013
A4: Educate City Councillors on the value of reuse; economically and socially #cityheritage
— A Calder (@aim_ec) March 6, 2013
A4 -Structures needs to be in place to ensure buildings don’t become dilapidated pushing up reuse costs. #cityheritage
— Wilm (@wilm_ekis) March 6, 2013
Political backing
How can local politicians be persuaded that building reuse is better than new construction?
A5: Point out of value of building to neighbourhood. Cynically, point out how saving building X could translate into votes 🙂 #cityheritage
— Jamie Bradburn (@jbcurio) March 6, 2013
A5 Pair with community orgs to provide a voice for constituent-preservationists and invite elected officials to charrettes #cityheritage
— jenny hay (@ajennyh) March 6, 2013
Q5: Make preservation an election issue, canvas candidates on their understanding of and views on it, and involve media #cityheritage
— A Calder (@aim_ec) March 6, 2013
Future projects
Every city has a building (or more likely, buildings) that could be put to a new use. Where to begin?
a6: I live in Detroit. I don’t know where to begin. Most of the buildings on all major roads need rehab love #cityheritage
— Urbanist Dispatch (@urbdispatch) March 6, 2013
A6 The bldg in my n’hood I wished to be reused for years finally became a community center last year: hillcenterdc.org #cityheritage
— PresNation Live (@PresNationLive) March 6, 2013
A6 we’re fighting to save Frank Furness’ Serpentine Church #philadelphia#philly#cityheritagehiddencityphila.org/2012/05/progre…
— LimeWorks.us (@LimeWorksUS) March 6, 2013
Image via JoeinSouthernCA