Building Revolutions

08. Design for adaptability

Almost no buildings adapt well. They're designed not to adapt; also budgeted and financed not to, constructed not to, administrated not to, maintained not to, regulated and taxed not to, even remodeled not to. But all buildings (except monuments) adapt anyway, however poorly, because the usages in and around them are changing constantly.

Stewart Brand

It is rare for a building to remain occupied by its original owner for long, so even bespoke building designs will have been adapted to meet the needs of new users or will have been pressed into accommodating a new way of working or a major change in technology that brings new demands to the space.

There is a difference between designing a building that is simply flexible ...