Aging buildings whose original uses are obsolete offer extraordinary opportunities to create innovative and authentic design solutions, particularly in dense urban markets. Transformative building repositionings unlock undervalued assets, are a catalyst for giving new life to beloved landmarks, and are the ultimate form of environmental and community sustainability. As cities see dramatic changes in how people live, work, and play, the uses of existing buildings are also changing—office buildings to residential, warehouses to offices, aging infrastructure to innovation or transportation hubs, and even hospitals to hospitality.

This session will use case studies and data-driven spatial analysis to identify the toolkit used to innovatively transform existing buildings to meet contemporary requirements. Key themes to be explored include unlocking floor/area ratio (FAR) through zoning and code changes, creating sellable area, leveraging heritage to create identity, creating brand authenticity, and integrating technology and sustainability.