Adaptive Reuse: Construction for the Future
The Hotel Marcel opens next month in New Haven, and with it brings discussion of the value of historic preservation and environmental conservation. For those that know the New Haven area, The Hotel Marcel is simply the building in the Ikea parking lot. But those who have studied the architectural era of modernism know it as a valuable and authentic example of Brutalism.
The Hotel Marcel, formerly known as the Pirelli Tire Building, was designed by prolific architect and furniture designer Marcel Breur to house the Armstrong Rubber Company. The city of New Haven encouraged its construction in hopes it would breathe new life into the dormant Long Wharf district. Its unreasonable size was intended to match the newly constructed Interstate-95 highway alongside it, symbolizing a gateway to the city. It remained abandoned for nearly two decades after the company moved its headquarters, but its iconic yet awkward form has been a staple in the New Haven skyline. Now, the building is taking on a new meaning as a symbol for the future of environmental and historic conservation.
It is no secret that the world is facing a climate crisis. Natural disasters are happening with more frequency, devastating communities with “once in a lifetime” storms time and time again. Water levels are rising, projected to destroy some of the most beloved sea-side cities and force over 800 million people to relocate (Cities Climate Leadership Group). Forest fires have run rampant through countries, leaving widespread habitat devastation, endangering the innocent animals that inhabit them. There is extreme concern coming from those within the construction industry, with 11% of global emissions coming from the construction of new buildings, and 28% coming from the operation of existing buildings (Ferriss). Everyone must do their part to decrease carbon emissions, and they need to do it now, but how?
Bruce Becker, developer and founder of the architecture firm of Becker + Becker, in partnership with interiors firm Dutch East Design, began their renovation of the Pirelli building in the Summer of 2020. They set out to transform the forgotten structure into a sustainable hotel centrally located on the city’s wharf, just under 2 miles from Yale University. This isn’t Becker + Becker’s first time executing sustainable construction, and it won’t be their last. They have set out with the mission to transform historic buildings to fit the needs of the modern world in a sustainable way, all while maintaining the integrity of the original design. The building is LEED Platinum certified, which is the highest level of certification that is offered by the world’s most popular green building system. The Marcel is highlighted by The Architect’s Newspaper for excelling in water, energy, and material efficiency. It is the first net-zero carbon hotel in the United States, and one of only a few in the world. The building is 60% more efficient than its code requirements, much of that due to the fact that 100% of the electricity used for lighting, heating, cooling, and car charging comes from on-site solar panels (Becker + Becker). The hotel has attracted substantial media attention, rightfully so, and has expanded the conversation within the architecture industry surrounding environmental consciousness.
Those that own and operate post-war buildings should be especially concerned with their carbon footprint. In the 1950s, air conditioning became widely affordable to install, giving architects less incentive to insulate their buildings appropriately. Their embrace of new-age technology has led to a real issue with buildings today, as they require significantly more energy to create a comfortable environment for those inside. Something must be done to decrease the levels of carbon emissions in modern era buildings, but with it comes worries surrounding preserving our society’s architectural history.
This is where adaptive reuse comes into play. Shown successfully in the reconstruction of The Hotel Marcel, architects can opt to adapt an existing building to be more efficient, protecting not only the environment from unnecessary damage, but the building’s historical value.
Architectural history tells the story of how our society evolved as different styles, technology, and necessities emerged. The Hotel Marcel is a perfect example of this: it gives insight into the country’s rapid industrialization, the city of New Haven’s expanding economy, and the popularity of the new wave of modernism in the United States. History tells us why society functions the way it does, and gives individuals greater appreciation for the world we live in. Architecture should be protected, like any national artifact, for further generations to respect, study, and draw inspiration from.
The repurposing of older buildings for modern usage reduces emissions associated with current operation, while avoiding the influx of carbon emissions that come with demolition and construction of a new structure. According to Restore Oregon, if one opted to tear down a 10,000 square foot building and replace it with one of the same size, 1,383 more metric tons of CO2 would be released into the atmosphere than if they had taken the adaptive reuse method. Ultimately, new construction and refurbished buildings will end up with the same levels of water consumption and energy efficiency in the long run, due to the similar materials used. What distinguishes a reused building’s carbon footprint from that of a new one is their need for structural materials. Concrete, which is the most common building material, releases up to 4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. That adds up to about 8% of the global emissions annually (Ramsden). The mining of iron ore, which is the main component of steel, is a rigorous and dangerous process that results in air and water pollution. The high demand for these two materials, especially from the construction industry, overpowers environmental concerns in exchange for economic benefit.
One of the concerns that opponents of adaptive reuse projects typically cite is the high cost of renovation work. It is true that remodeling older buildings can come with certain unexpected costs, and some projects have required up to 25% more in labor costs than new construction. However, money should be no object when it comes to protecting our planet. Suggesting that the price of a project isn’t “worth it,” and opting for a cheaper, less sustainable alternative will only work for so long. Afterall, what use is money if there is no population left to spend it? Additionally, 60–70% of an adaptive reuse renovation budget is allocated towards labor, which ends up benefiting the local economy (University of Florida). This means that not only will we see a positive impact on the world over time, but the building will be beneficial to the smaller community somewhat immediately.
The climate crisis is no longer an abstract concept, it is here in full force and taking even the most innocent lives as victims. Everyone must do their part to decrease carbon emissions in any way they can. The construction industry is responsible for nearly 40% of carbon emissions worldwide (Li-yin); they should be held accountable for the damage they have done, and be eager to shift towards an environmentally friendly model. The success of the modification of The Hotel Marcel demonstrates that Becker + Becker’s business model, adaptive reuse, should be the standard for future construction. Afterall, as French architect and professor Anne Lacton once said, “Demolition is a waste of many things- a waste of energy, a waste of materials, and a waste of history.”
Works Cited
- Cutieru, Andreea. “The Refurbishment and Adaptive Reuse of Brutalist Architecture.” ArchDaily, 23 Aug. 2021, www.archdaily.com/967215/the-refurbishment-and-adaptive-reuse-of-brutalist-architecture.
- Dorris, Jesse. “The retool of an aging Marcel Breuer showstopper takes the highroad.” The Architect’s Newspaper, 7 May 2021, www.archpaper.com/2021/05/retooling-of-marcel-breuer-pirelli-building-net-zero-hotel/.
- Ferriss, Lori. “Sustainable reuse of post-war architecture through life cycle assessment.” Journal of Architectural Conservation, vol. 27, no. 3, 2021, pp. 208–224, www.tandfonline.com/doi/epub/10.1080/13556207.2021.1943260?needAccess=true.
- Li-yin, Shen, and Craig Langston. “Adaptive Reuse Potential: An Examination of Differences between Urban and Non-Urban Projects.” Facilities, vol. 28, no. 1, 2010, pp. 6–16. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/adaptive-reuse-potential/docview/219656133/se-2?accountid=12489, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02632771011011369.
- Ramsden, Keegan. “Cement and Concrete: The Environmental Impact — PSCI.” PSCI, 3 Nov. 2020, psci.princeton.edu/tips/2020/11/3/cement-and-concrete-the-environmental-impact.
- “Historic Preservation: Value Added.” UF Research, research.ufl.edu/publications/explore/v08n1/historic.html. Accessed 13 Apr. 2022.
- “Hotel Marcel — Becker + Becker.” Becker + Becker, www.beckerandbecker.com/work/hotel-marcel. Accessed 13 Apr. 2022.
- “LEED Rating System.” USGBCU.S. Green Building Council, U.S. Green Building Council, www.usgbc.org/leed. Accessed 13 Apr. 2022.
- “Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding.” C40 Cities, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, Inc., 12 Nov. 2021, www.c40.org/what-we-do/scaling-up-climate-action/adaptation-water/the-future-we-dont-want/sea-level-rise/.
- “Understanding the Carbon Cost of Demolition.” Restore Oregon, 1 Oct. 2021, restoreoregon.org/2021/04/12/understanding-the-carbon-cost-of-demolition/.
- “What is Historic Preservation? — Historic Preservation (U.S. National Park Service).” NPS.gov (U.S. National Park Service), 12 May 2021, www.nps.gov/subjects/historicpreservation/
