Adaptation of a Mid-Nineteenth Century Representative University Building to Office Functions

Abstract

The rehabilitation of historical buildings plays an important role in enhancing the sustainable built environment of a city. Re-use of old buildings when adapting them to new functions has become a common way to protect the significance of historical buildings and keep them for future generations as examples of the achievements of former architects and construction masters. Issues connected with the adaptation of an old university three-story building from 1866 that has exceptional artistic qualities is the subject of the analysis presented in this paper. Originally, the building was multifunctional, and intended for the activities of various university units. During the II World War, the main body of the building was seriously damaged. After the war, the building was reconstructed using the current building materials and construction solutions, and was handed over to the Medical Department of Wroclaw University. The building is now undergoing renovation, the purpose of which is to change its function into an office building. The greatest value of the building is its façade - with excellent proportions - which perfectly fits into the spatial context and the development of this part of the city. For this reason, the preservation of the building's main structure was the most important aspect of the renovation design process. The paper presents the results of the assessment of the building’s technical state, analysis of the planned functional changes and renovation ideas, and finally, a description of the structural and constructional solutions adopted to solve the problems occurring during the renovation works.

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References

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