Adaptive Reuse: Repurposing a Vacant College Campus for New Occupancy

Abstract

Adaptive reuse has been a design strategy in buildings existing for centuries. The adaptation of a building, also known as recycling or conversion, is the process of reusing an existing building other than what it was originally built or designed for. This element of design has enabled generations to derive a sense of continuity and stability from their physical surroundings. This paper examines the context of adaptive reuse through extensive research: its history and evolution, the importance of cultural memory and historical preservation, the question of value in design, sustainability, and the overarching idea of designing through time. The information gathered regarding reuse in buildings aims at developing a strategy that has commonly progressed over the last few years since the COVID-19 pandemic: college campuses closing down and leaving a vacant campus filled with unused buildings in its stead. Since 2016, over 91 colleges have closed, merged with other schools, or announced plans of a closure or merger. This number roughly reflects the response to the pandemic, with students moving from in person to online and colleges not generating enough revenue to stay open. Before the pandemic, though, closures and mergers began rising due to smaller numbers of enrollment and in turn a lack of funding. One college in particular, a private, non-profit institution called Presentation College in Aberdeen, SD, is examined in this paper. Research of adaptive and vacancies incorporating academic books, articles, and studies are examined in order to find a solution for this now vacant campus. The Buildings Construction Report of 2022, the Aberdeen Comprehensive Plan, and conducted interviews aim at discerning how adaptive reuse can be beneficial for a vacant campus to help solve a question for college campuses around the country: What can be done with this green space and large stock of unused buildings?