Parallel Construct: Adaptive Reuse as Cultural Architecture for Interdisciplinary Learning | Bachelors Design Thesis

Site Context

Currently, Summerhall serves as a main venue for the Edinburgh Science Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as well as an arts and event space for artists. 

The site’s oldest known uses were as a brewery in the 1700s and, most famously, as the official location of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. It also offers studios for independent artists all year long, as well as other spaces for art exhibits, plays, and musical performances.

Design Process

A fragmented approach was adopted in the design process, as the designer had specific ideas about the programs and how each of them should operate and feel but struggled to connect these ideas into a coherent design scheme. The process began with a detailed site survey of the existing structural system and the ways in which the materials were being used. The most useful tools in the design development were 1:100 hand-drawn plans and a model, which allowed the designer to realize ideas efficiently and to compare various iterations before reaching a final decision.

Several key design ideas were developed:

1- Existing Building as a Material Bank: The designer treated the existing building as a material bank, where the existing structure could be utilized to the maximum in order to minimize the need for new materials. A dismantling and reuse scheme was developed after the survey of the locations of various materials, with offcuts and broken pieces also taken into consideration.

2- Offset Grids: The concept of an additional offset grid originated from the pivot doors leading from the gallery wing to the internal courtyard, which created a set of timber door frames that consistently sat between the existing grid. This observation inspired the extension of the system into the interior, evolving into a new structural set that supports the roof. The system also responded to the idea of a self-supporting roof structure, referencing the precedent of the Synthes Headquarters by Peter Märkli.

3- Building as a Learning Tool: Another design principle was that the building itself would function as a real-life example of materials and tectonics. Material junctions were to be exposed wherever possible, allowing university students to understand construction in reality beyond books and online resources. Various brick bonding patterns were also to be displayed on the external facades, showcasing the possibilities of bricklaying while taking advantage of its dimensional constraints.

Final Outcome

Design strategies respond to an education agenda to make learning accessible, pragmatic, and communal. The existing load-bearing structure is retained, and a new structural grid overlays one wing of the building, where exposed structural and material junctions would converge and diverge, turning the building into an active learning tool.

Sustainability begins with the existing building, where it is treated as a material bank. Locations of bricks, stone, slate, terrazzo, and glazing are identified, and they will be carefully dismantled and reassembled. Off-cuts are also considered and will be reused to the maximum extent. This approach minimises the need for new materials, transportation, and hence the embodied carbon. Apart from limiting material waste, it also aims to preserve the character of the original structure, maintaining a visual connection to Summerhall.

With the main design ideas established (existing building as a material bank and the new building being an active tool for learning in and of itself), a strong visual scheme of blue and brown is used. Consistent in all drawings, it shows comprehensively how each part of the building is reused and what design ideas do they respond to. Hand sketches were also made to illustrate how the space should feel at a human level. Models of various scales also help explain the project more clearly as a different level of context and detail is offered in each scale. 

With a combination of digital and analogue tools as well as the comparison between the existing site photos and sketches of the same perspective, it was very efficient in presenting the designer’s vision, especially in the technical plans for each programme, given the short amount of time within a semester.

Conclusion: Ultimately, the project demonstrates how adaptive reuse can foster collaboration, sustainability, and innovation. By reimagining Block C as both a material bank and a living tool for learning, the project bridges disciplines, preserves heritage, and minimizes waste. It embodies a pragmatic yet inspiring vision of education rooted in accessibility, creativity, and environmental responsibility.

[This Academic Project has been published with text and images submitted by the student]