Adaptive Reuse of Industrial Heritage: Opportunities & Challenges Contents

1. Introduction 2. What is Industrial Heritage? 3. What is Adaptive Reuse? 4. Opportunities and Challenges 4.1 Social Values and Community Expectations 4.2 Placemaking and Heritage-led Regeneration 4.3 What is an Appropriate Reuse? 4.4 Temporary and Interim Uses 4.5 Environmental 4.6 Economics 4.7 Process, Procurement and Management 4.8 Regulations 4.9 Contamination 5. Further resources

This issues paper was developed alongside 12 case Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance studies, which demonstrate the potential of adaptive to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do reuse of industrial heritage. not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular A rigorous process was undertaken to select the case purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any studies, which have been identified as exemplars of error, loss or other consequence which may arise from adaptive reuse of industrial buildings across a range you relying on any information in this publication. This of types, scales and uses. document is also available in Word format on the The issues paper and case studies were prepared internet at www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/heritage/projects- by Justine Clark. and-programs. The project was guided by a steering committee chaired by Helen Lardner, with members Larry www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/heritage/ Parsons, Geoffrey Sutherland and David Moloney. projects-and-programs. Tanya Wolkenberg managed the project. The project began with a workshop involving 20 participants looking at the issues relevant to the reuse of industrial heritage. This was key in formulating the directions to be pursued and we would like to thank all those involved. We also thank all those who assisted with the case studies by suggesting projects, providing input and information and allowing us to use images and drawings, the architects and heritage consultants who supplied information and material for the case studies, and the photographers who made their images available for us in this project. Graphic design: Kate Mansell. Published by the Heritage Council of Victoria, 1 Spring Street 3000, July 2013. ©Copyright Heritage Council of Victoria 2013. This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. 1. Introduction

Industrial heritage sites are sites, the state does not have recent large projects on the scale of those developed an important part of our built over the past decade in New South Wales environment and landscape. and the Australian Capital Territory – They provide tangible and for example, Carriageworks at the Eveleigh Carriage Workshops, the intangible links to our past Canberra Glassworks at the Kingston and have great potential to Power House, and the remarkable series play significant roles in the of projects undertaken by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust. futures of our cities, towns The reasons for this are not immediately and rural environments. clear. As the centre of nineteenth-century manufacturing in Australia, Victoria has a The remains of industry include dramatic good stock of industrial heritage, a vibrant buildings, landscapes, sites and precincts architectural culture and excellent as well as more everyday structures and heritage expertise. The regulatory spaces that work together to give our cities, environment is no more difficult here than towns and regions their character. All offer elsewhere. Perhaps the question opportunity for reuse. Done well, such becomes, where are the clients (both adaptive reuse can contribute to the building government and private sector) who will of social and cultural capital, environmental invest in projects of this scale? There is sustainability and urban regeneration. much opportunity as industrial practices The case studies that accompany this and areas continue to change. A number report highlight a range of successful of former and current industrial suburbs Australian projects, across scales and in Melbourne have been marked for building types. Many of these were regeneration over the coming years – difficult projects, dealing with complex for example, Fishermans Bend. issues such as contamination, but in all We hope that these case studies and cases the results are outstanding. The the issues paper will demonstrate the hard work by all concerned has resulted opportunities and will inspire and in projects that benefit the broader encourage clients, architects, community as well as the owners and consultants and government to expand occupants. These projects take advantage the considered reuse of Victoria’s of industrial spaces and places to create remarkable industrial heritage. new and exciting facilities for the present and the future. The starting point was examining a range of Victorian examples. However, as we worked through these it became apparent that although Victoria has some excellent examples of adaptive reuse of industrial 2. What is Industrial Heritage?

“Industrial heritage consists Industrial heritage places and spaces linear sites connected to transport or of the remains of industrial link the contemporary world to the energy distribution. work of the past. They can tell of Industrial heritage sites may have been culture which are of economic, architectural and technical abandoned long ago, they may have gone historical, technological, achievements, of infrastructure, of through many changes of use over the processes and procedures and the social, architectural or years, or they may have only recently transformation of materials. They can ceased being used for their original scientific value. These also index the ambition, rise and decline purpose. Sites in continuous use for remains consist of buildings of industries and places over time. a particular industry also often undergo These sites and spaces recall the social and machinery, workshops, significant physical changes as the structures and the work of those who technologies change. laboured in such places. mills and factories, mines Industrial heritage sites may be loved and sites for processing and Australia has seen a very wide range by members of the community in which refining, warehouses and of activities that have led to industrial they are located, or dismissed as unsightly heritage sites. signs of dilapidation and decay. stores, places where energy To the list in the TICCIH quote above we The heritage significance of an industrial is generated, transmitted can add sites of Indigenous industrial place can be historic, aesthetic, social and/ and used, transport and all activities, buildings and sites associated or technical and both tangible and with farming, forestry and fisheries, its infrastructure, as well as intangible. They may be listed on local, construction, communication, scientific state or Commonwealth government places used for social and technical endeavour, waterways and heritage registers or be completely activities related to industry irrigation, and military and convict uses. unprotected. The owner may see them such as housing, religious The remains of our industrial heritage as full of potential, or as a problem that are more than the buildings that housed would best be resolved through demolition. worship or education.” industrial activity – they include Industrial heritage sites are also often The Nizhny Tagil Charter for the Industrial Heritage, landscapes and precincts, machinery endangered. Research by English The International Committee for the Conservation of and industrial archaeology, remnants and the Industrial Heritage (TICCIH), 2003. Heritage suggests that, in the UK, listed other traces of processes and production. industrial buildings are more at risk than Agriculture and mine workings have both almost any other kind of heritage.1 had major impacts on our landscapes and Industrial heritage is sometimes not as topography – including the large-scale widely appreciated as other kinds of mounds of mine mullock and tailings. heritage structures. We don’t have Industrial heritage sites can be found comparable Australian data, but here across Australia in urban, suburban, too industrial sites are frequently left regional, rural and remote locations. to deteriorate. They can range from large mines and Industrial history is particularly important factories to agricultural enterprises and in Victoria. Commencing with mining and to smaller, ‘cottage’ based enterprises. then agricultural machinery and railway An industrial heritage site can also extend infrastructure in the nineteenth century, over a large area, as is the case with and supported by the colonial School of Architecture and Design, University of Tasmania, by Six Degrees and SBE. Case Study 11. Photograph Patrick Rodriguez.

government’s protection policy, Melbourne became Australia’s dominant manufacturing centre. This is an important legacy for our state. Industrial activities and processes undergo constant change and development, so the history of industrial sites is often one of continual change and adaptation. Changes in products and technology mean that, unlike offices or houses, it is not easy to keep using custom-built industrial places for their original purpose. This means that adaptive reuse is particularly important in the conservation of industrial sites. It is a way to give them ongoing life while retaining memories and knowledge for generations to come.

1. English Heritage, Industrial Heritage at Risk. www.english-heritage.org.uk/caring/heritage-at-risk/ industrial-heritage-at-risk/ 3. What is Adaptive Reuse?

“The best way to conserve Adaptive reuse is the conversion of a Urban Regeneration Brisbane has played building, site or precinct from one use to a significant role in reinvigorating large a heritage building, structure another. Where the site being reused has areas of former industrial land and or site is to use it ... heritage value the new use should converting them to new urban uses over Adaptation links the past to support the ongoing interpretation and a 20 year period. (See Case Study 7). The understanding of that heritage while also Ruhr in Germany is a widely recognised the present and projects into accommodating new functions. international example. the future.” Adaptive reuse gives new life to a site, Temporary uses can be a good way to ‘New Uses for Heritage Places.’ rather than seeking to freeze it at a prevent deterioration until a long-term particular moment in time. It explores use is found. the options that lie between the extremes Adaptive reuse is not simply a matter of demolition or turning a site into a of retaining the fabric or envelope of museum. Adding a new layer without buildings. The heritage building, site or erasing earlier layers, an adaptive reuse precinct needs to be understood in project becomes part of the long history complex ways. Other aspects to be of the site. It is another stage, not the considered include the spatial structures final outcome. and configurations, the relationship Although different to preservation and between the site and its context, significant interpretation works aimed at making views to, from and within the site, and a museum of the site, adaptive reuse traces of activities and processes. When includes both within its scope. It provides reusing industrial heritage the new project an opportunity to maintain heritage fabric, should also aim to retain evidence of spaces and sites that might otherwise be technologies, the flows of materials and lost and to make them available to new people, and work processes. generations. Designing the reuse brings The foundation document and essential the potential to ‘amplify’ some elements reference for work on heritage sites, and aspects while downplaying others. structures and spaces within Australia Heritage best practice is for new work is the Burra Charter. This advocates a to be able to be removed at a later date, cautious approach “Do as much as so that adaptive reuse does not preclude necessary to care for the place and to future conservation. make it useable, but otherwise change Adaptive reuse also has the potential it as little as possible so that its cultural to add value in other ways. It can, for significance is retained.” example, be part of an effective heritage- Article 6 concerns the Burra Charter led regeneration strategy for a wider process, which is outlined in Fig. 1. area. It is important to remember that The Illustrated Burra Charter includes adaptive reuse is not restricted to additional commentary, which is very individual buildings or small precincts. helpful when working through the Large urban areas can also be the particulars of a heritage site. subject adaptive reuse. In Australia,

The Burra Charter Process, from The Burra Charter: The Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance 1999, p. 10. The Burra Charter Process Sequence of investigations, decisions and actions

IDENTIFY PLACE AND ASSOCIATIONS Secure the place and make it safe

GATHER AND RECORD INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLACE SUFFICIENT TO UNDERSTAND SIGNIFICANCE Documentary Oral Physical

ASSESS SIGNIFICANCE

PREPARE A STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

IDENTIFY OBLIGATIONS ARISING FROM SIGNIFICANCE

GATHER INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER FACTORS AFFECTING THE FUTURE OF THE PLACE Owner/manager’s needs and resources External factors Physical condition

DEVELOP POLICY Identify options Consider options and test their impact on significance

PREPARE A STATEMENT OF POLICY

MANAGE PLACE IN ACCORDANCE WITH POLICY Develop strategies Implement strategies through a management plan Record place prior to any change

MONITOR AND REVIEW

10 Australia ICOMOS I n c The Burra Charter, 1999 4. Opportunities & Challenges

“Adapting an existing The adaptive reuse of industrial heritage 4.1 Social Values and Community building to new use requires sites presents a wide range of Expectations opportunities and challenges. Some of Industrial heritage sites play important ... a level of design flexibility these are similar to those faced in the roles in the lives of communities. They and adaptability that is not adaptive reuse of other heritage buildings provide tangible links to the past and and places; others are more specific to required when working on a may have provided the livelihood of a the industrial context. This section substantial section of the community. completely new building.” outlines a range of factors that may affect the adaptive reuse of industrial heritage. Different communities and individuals Allen Jack+Cottier value industrial heritage differently – When beginning an adaptive reuse project for some industrial sites are a source it is important to start with a clear frame of pride and bearers of important of reference and a coherent strategy for memories, for others they are an determining the heritage value of the unsightly reminder of dilapidation and building or site and ways to work with it. decline. The attitude taken depends A Conservation Management Plan, on many things, including the structure including a Statement of Significance, itself, the social and political context, developed in accordance with the Burra the recent history of the site and Charter process, will enable considered contemporary aesthetic mores. and meaningful decisions for new uses and approaches, when assessing what Heritage can make a strong contribution to keep, and what to change, and for the to social sustainability. Industrial long-term management of the site. heritage can also be important in creating new stories and identities Responding to challenges in creative ways as communities change and newcomers can result in opportunities that might not are integrated into an existing area. otherwise be identified or realised. Communities are not static. It is Working collaboratively with excellent important to consider how to build consultants is a significant factor in contingency into a project so that it can effectively realising the opportunities accommodate change of all kinds while presented by industrial heritage sites. still respecting the site’s heritage. Heritage consultants, architects, Community support is important for the landscape architects, engineers, ongoing effective reuse of industrial contamination specialists and others heritage sites. Community expectations all have much to offer, especially when about the value of such sites are not working together. Statutory authorities, uniform and can change. For example, such as Heritage Victoria and municipal at Paddington Reservoir the expectation heritage advisors, have extensive from both the City Council and the experience with these types of issues community was that the site would be and can also provide excellent resources covered and a new park built on top. and expert advice. The architects saw the opportunity in the ruined reservoir. Through a careful process of consultation with stakeholders Paddington Reservoir, by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer. Case Study 9. Photograph Brett Boardman.

and the community, which drew on Lessons memories of those visiting the reservoir • industrial heritage is important in before it was closed, they were able to the life of communities, providing bring the City Council and community on a link to the past and contributing board to create much-loved new public to the development of new identities spaces. See Case Study 9. as communities change. On other occasions motivated members of a community drive adaptive reuse. • Community consultation and engagement are important to A highly celebrated international example the ongoing effective reuse of is the High Line in New York, the industrial heritage, particularly conversion of an old elevated freight rail at an urban scale. line into a much-loved linear park. This project was begun by two residents who • Community expectations are not successfully lobbied to keep the uniform and can change over time. structure and then worked with the City • Some former industrial areas of New York to develop the park. Friends are still home to those who worked of the High Line continue to maintain and in the area’s industries. These manage the park. fresh and tangible links could/ In Melbourne, the Substation Centre for should inform the way community Arts and Culture was initiated by is consulted and how the area community members who wanted to see is interpreted. the historic Newport substation retained and reused. The project took 15 years to be realised by a small and dedicated group of volunteers. Communication and community consultation is an important aspect of large urban regeneration projects. The work undertaken by Brisbane (URB) includes comprehensive consultation, which is outlined in the document Neighbourhood Planning in Urban Renewal Areas (2008). See Case Study 7. “Industrial heritage can have 4.2 Placemaking & Heritage-led site was to “provide a stimulating and an important role in the Regeneration. experiential creative precinct for working, Industrial heritage sites can play recreation, entertainment and living” economic regeneration of important roles in urban regeneration, (see Case Study 3). In Canberra, the old decayed or declining areas. reinforcing urban character and identity, Kingston Power House is a cornerstone project in the cultural precinct of the new The continuity that re-use providing tourism drawcards, increasing amenity and acting as the focus of Kingston Foreshore Redevelopment (see implies may provide economic development. Case Study 6). In Melbourne the private development at 1 Fennell Street in psychological stability for Abandoned industrial sites can have a Fishermans Bend has seeded change in depressing effect on the surrounding area communities facing the the area, anticipating some of the state and, in the case of inaccessible large government’s intentions for the broader sudden end of long-standing sites, can act as ruptures in the urban development of the area over time (see sources of employment.” fabric, compromising urban connectivity. Case Study 12). At a smaller scale, the Reuse of such sites in a manner that is TICCIH. careful site planning of The Boatbuilders mindful of the urban context can also Yard reuse of Cargo Shed 4 maintains provide an opportunity to knit the urban access through the site as part of the environment together in new ways while South Wharf Promenade and also making the heritage of the site legible. encourages informal engagement with The activity of certain industries is often the adjacent dry docks (see Case Study 2). concentrated in particular geographic Broader strategies and approaches to locations. For example, the grouping of reusing entire suburbs are also important grain silos, mills, biscuit factories and for urban regeneration. This is adaptive woolsheds in West Melbourne gives the reuse on a grand scale. Urban Renewal suburb a particular urban and heritage Brisbane is the result of a tri-government character. Such urban character should initiative to tackle urban degradation in be considered as a whole as well as the former industrial suburbs. Now in its third heritage values of particular sites. decade, URB has had a substantial effect Questions to consider regarding adaptive in changing the urban environment in a reuse of industrial heritage in relation manner that retains a connection to its to the wider urban context include: industrial past (see Case Study 7). – How will the reuse contribute to the Internationally, one of the most significant understanding of the broader urban examples is the Ruhr in Germany, now context? the site of the Industrial Heritage Trail. – How will the reuse complement and/or Here a large region is shifting from an contribute to surrounding uses? economy based on steel and coal industries to a new economic system. – If adjacent areas are still used for Many former industrial sites have been industrial purposes, will the proposed effectively reused as cultural sites and are reuse compromise or support this? now connected by a 400-mile road circuit Heritage-led regeneration includes the and a 700-mile bike path. development of single sites which act as catalysts for broader change. Carriage Works is an example of this, and one of the NSW Government’s aims in developing the 1 Fennell Street, by InSite. Case Study 12. Photograph Lisbeth Grosman.

Lessons 4.3 What is an Appropriate Reuse? be retained with the patina built up over time. See Case Studies 3 Carriageworks, • Adaptive reuse of industrial sites Different kinds of reuse impact differently 4 Cockatoo Island, 5 Crago Flour Mill, can play a significant role in the on industrial heritage sites. The new 6 Canberra Glassworks and renewal and regeneration of large use, and the level of change required 10 River Studios. urban areas, and can contribute to to accommodate that use, needs to be social sustainability. compatible with and appropriate to the Tertiary education heritage significance of the place and Tertiary education facilities can provide • reuse should be carefully should be guided by the Statement of a sympathetic new use for industrial considered in terms of the Significance. The Burra Charter describes buildings, as they can often find a use for contribution it can make to the a compatible use as one that retains the and maintain large-scale spaces. See broader urban context. cultural significance of the place. Case Study 11 University of Tasmania • Sites can be small or large, but all When exploring new uses it is important School of Architecture and Design. In can make a contribution to the to investigate how they might be Geelong, a series of wool stores have retention of the identity of a place. accommodated within the existing spaces. been reused as a campus for Deakin Questions to consider include: University, in a redevelopment project – Will the original plan and spatial that extends over many years. structure be able to be read within the adapted building? Or will it require Residential substantial changes to significant Adapting industrial sites for multi- spaces and/or subdivision of spaces? residential reuse can have much more significant impacts than other uses. – Will the reuse involve substantial For example, large spaces are carved changes to the building fabric? Can the up into smaller units and new services, patina of the fabric be maintained? such as plumbing, installed. Building – Will the reuse respect the heritage Code of Australia regulations can present associations and meanings of the place? challenges in terms of regulatory Location and land value also have a large requirements such as fire ratings. effect on the viability of different kinds of Heritage buildings are often adapted reuse, as do the expectations of the new as high-end residential developments, users in terms of ‘finish’ and amenity. which may result in building fabric being Some of the more common reuses for over-restored, over-cleaned or hidden individual industrial heritage sites are behind new walls. However, changing outlined below. Other low-impact uses expectations mean that many residents that may be appropriate for industrial now appreciate the industrial aesthetic heritage places include garden nurseries, and patina of building fabric. Heritage markets and new business incubators. qualities particular to a place are now often understood as a desirable attribute Arts and creative industries for a particular market. These attributes Many industrial heritage sites are reused are increasingly used as part of the as facilities for the arts and creative marketing of residential reuse projects. industries. The aesthetic of industrial Although residential reuse can be more places is often readily compatible with difficult, it can be done very successfully arts uses and the building fabric can often in response to particular site features. Carraigeworks by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer. Case Study 3. Photograph Michael Nicholson.

For example, the former Olympic Tyre Lessons Factory in Footscray included distinctive • Adaptation for a new use should and well-appointed offices, foyers and respect the heritage significance showrooms, which were effectively reused of the existing site and its context. as shared spaces and in the new use. See Case Study 8 Banbury Village. • The level of change accepted for Residential reuse can also generate a place depends on the cultural significant financial returns. For example, significance of the place, and the the reuse of wool stores, warehouses and type of significance. The a sugar refinery for apartments in Teneriffe Conservation Management Plan is and New Farm has played a significant role very important in determining this. in the regeneration of that area, and has • Different reuses have different resulted in dramatically increased property impacts and are viable in different prices. See Case Study 7. contexts. Recreation • Think broadly about the possibilities Recreation can provide opportunities for when considering appropriate and the reuse, preservation and interpretation viable reuses. of sites in ways that are accessible to large sections of the community. Recreational uses may also be effective for heritage sites that are difficult to reuse in other ways. For example, across Australia many of the long, linear sites left by decommissioned railways are being reused as rail trails for cycling, walking and other recreational activities. Significant information and resources to help establish rail trails is available on the Rail Trails Australia website. For one example, see Case Study 1 Bass Coast Rail Trail. Recreational reuses can also allow sites to be maintained as ‘ruins’ – that is, some recreational reuses do not require fully functioning buildings. See Case Study 4 Cockatoo Island and Case Study 9 Paddington Reservoir. River Studios, by Breathe Architecture. Case Study 10. Photograph Andrew Wuttke.

4.4 Temporary and Interim Uses Use for temporary and/or ephemeral Lessons events can also be a way to ensure the It is not always possible to find a long-term • Temporary reuse can be an effective long-term viability of an industrial reuse that is both financially viable and means to avoid deterioration and heritage site. For example, Cockatoo appropriate to the heritage context. In such demolition through neglect while a Island now regularly accommodates a cases phased development, interim uses or new long-term use is being wide range of temporary and ephemeral watertight mothballing may be appropriate established. until a suitable new use is found. activities and festivals, including the Biennale of Sydney and Urban Islands. • A program of rolling temporary Temporary uses can be an important way These events allow the buildings and uses can be also a valid long-term to maintain sites in use, and to avoid precincts to be reused in a manner that strategy for the reuse of a place. demolition by neglect – abandoned has a low impact on the island’s fabric buildings are vulnerable to decay and • rights, responsibilities, time and spaces but which generates great eventually to demolition. Temporary use is frames and risk need to be clearly interest in the island’s history and also often low-impact and can help protect understood by all parties at heritage. See Case Study 4. the building until a new, longer-term use is the outset. found. English Heritage identified the Reuses can also have a built-in ‘sunset’ following potential temporary uses in its clause, enabling the building to be publication Vacant Historic Buildings: returned to an earlier state or An owner’s guide to temporary uses, reconsidered at a later time. For example, maintenance and mothballing, retail, Goods Shed North in Melbourne’s including charity and ‘pop-up’ shops, Docklands is currently being reused as community activities like exhibition spaces office premises. This involved dividing the and information points, art and craft very long shed in two, which was not ideal, studios and workshops, exhibitions, but a sunset clause means that the wall performances, hospitality and events, may be removed when an appropriate use storage and filming. Other possible for the whole site is found. low-impact temporary uses include markets and new business incubators. Parameters for temporary use need to be clearly established at the outset and rights and responsibilities of all parties clearly understood by all. Renew Australia and Creative Spaces provide good precedents and models and both provide clear guidelines (see the references and links section of this paper). In Melbourne, Creative Spaces initiated the River Studios project, which provides affordable studio spaces for artists and craftspeople through a low-impact, fixed-term adaptation of an empty warehouse. See Case Study 10. University of Tasmania School of Architecture and Design by Six Degrees and SBE. Case Study 11. Photograph Patrick Rodriguez.

4.5 Environmental Sustainability equipment, transport and administrative Lessons functions”. Reusing buildings retains their • Adaptive reuse of heritage buildings “Demolition and equivalent embodied energy, and the materials has significant environmental new construction, no matter generally kept in a building adapted for benefits, in terms of reduced waste reuse are also often the most energy- how energy efficient, typically and the retention of embodied intensive materials. The Australian energy of the materials reused. requires decades to equal the Greenhouse Office notes that “the reuse of energy savings of rehabilitating building materials usually involves a saving • New environmentally sustainable an existing building.” of approximately 95 per cent of embodied design interventions such as water energy that would otherwise be wasted”. tanks, solar power and insulation Tanner Kibble Denton. The adaptive reuse of industrial sites is can often be successfully incorporated in industrial heritage The adaptive reuse of heritage buildings also often compatible with the installation sites and can bring significant is increasingly valued for the contribution of new environmentally sustainable additional benefits. it can make to sustainability initiatives. design initiatives – such as water tanks, This can be understood in terms of social solar power and insulation – all of these sustainability – supporting and can add to the sustainable contribution developing communities, retaining of the project. memory and other social advantages involved in a heritage place – and environmental sustainability. Retaining existing built fabric provides a number of environmental benefits. These include reduced demolition waste, reduced resource consumption compared to a demolish-and-rebuild scenario, and the retention of the original building’s embodied energy. Embodied energy is the energy and materials already used in making a building. It is defined by the CSIRO as the “energy consumed by all the processes associated with the production of a building, from the acquisition of natural resources to product delivery, including mining, manufacturing of materials and Canberra Glassworks by Tanner Architects. Case Study 6. Photograph Tyrone Brannigan.

4.6 Economics Nonetheless adaptive reuse can be an Lessons expensive proposition, especially if sites are • Authorities have an important role “Vacant, unused brownfield contaminated or structures are unsound. in establishing economic and sites ... contribute to a loss In these situations the economic viability of planning settings that will reuse is affected by the value of the in property value, loss of jobs, encourage good conservation and property, by land value and other economic adaptive reuse. loss of tax revenue, a threat contexts. These economic considerations to public health and the can have a major impact on the viability of • Leaving industrial sites to decay can environment, and potential one type of reuse over another. It is also have a negative impact on the important to factor in ongoing maintenance broader community. liability for the contamination ... costs to budgets. The redevelopment of In some cases incentives such as heritage brownfield sites has positive bonds, grants and loans, tax incentives or property incentives may help to make impacts for both the development more viable. Making Heritage surrounding society and the Happen describes the purposes of such developer.” heritage incentives as follows: – ensure that owners are not unduly “Perception of brownfield sites: Myth or reality?” Connie Susilawati and Kelsey Thomas, Queensland disadvantaged by the constraints or University of Technology extra expense that the regulatory system may impose; Adaptive reuse of industrial heritage has economic benefits and costs at a range of – leverage private capital investment in scales, which impact on both the owner and conservation; the community. Disused industrial sites can – generate additional conservation activity have a negative socioeconomic impact on than would otherwise occur; surrounding areas. In contrast, as Urban – counteract land use policies or other Renewal Brisbane has shown, adaptive government programs that threaten reuse of industrial areas can have a heritage places; significant positive impact on the economic situation of the area. See Case Study 7. – ensure that as far as possible a ‘level playing field’ exists between restoration The report “Making Heritage Happen: work and new construction. Incentives and Policy Tools for Conserving Our Historic Heritage” identifies a number Not all adaptive reuse is costly. Some of ways that heritage sites can contribute highly effective, low-impact reuses can be to sustainable economic development and achieved on extremely tight budgets. See prosperity. These include the following: Case Study 10 River Studios. – providing landmarks that serve as Economic constraints can also lead to economic development foci and creative reuse solutions that support the community ‘touchstones’; heritage aims of the project. For example, – creating proportionately more jobs than the budget for the conversion of the new construction and providing better local Kingston Power House into the Canberra expenditure retention; Glassworks did not allow for the building – providing important tourism drawcards fabric to be refurbished. It was left ‘as in urban centres and regional areas; found’, complete with cracks, holes and – attracting people and investment mismatched glazing, generating contrast by enhancing the amenity or ‘liveability’ with the new use and retaining the patina of towns and cities. of age. See Case Study 6. The Boatbuilders Yard by Six Degrees. Case Study 2. Photograph Greg Elms.

4.7 Process, Procurement and response to new findings, while still Lessons Management adhering to the site’s Statement of • Heritage needs to be considered Significance. The Conservation It is very difficult to achieve good adaptive in the initial stages of a project. reuse without an engaged client and an Management Plan for Cockatoo Island, a effective process. Adaptive reuse needs to large island on Sydney Harbour, is a good • investing in well-developed be supported by clear documents that guide example of a flexible document. It has the Conservation Management Plans, the redevelopment and future use. The scope to respond to new findings and feasibility studies and masterplans Burra Charter guides good practice in all changing circumstances, while still is vital to the success of an adaptive work with heritage sites in Australia. providing a very clear framework for reuse reuse project. of this valuable and complex site. See Case Heritage considerations should be part of • Design and heritage champions are Study 4. the early stages of a project and developed needed over the life of a project. in concert with other aspects. Projects also Even after a good adaptive reuse, heritage • Masterplans need to be flexible need design and heritage champions sites can suffer incremental loss and enough to respond to changes over throughout the procurement process and damage. Ad hoc changes made in response time while also closely responding project development. to changing circumstances can result in heritage significance being eroded over to the Statement of Significance. The reuse of industrial sites with heritage time. It is important that the Conservation • Large developments should identify values should be guided by a Conservation Management Plan and masterplan are a heritage bottom line, the object of Management Plan including a Statement adhered to over time. which is to protect key heritage of Significance, which articulates what is fabric during future redevelopment. most important about the place. A The interpretation approach and Conservation Management Plan is a strategy should also be integrated into critical document for guiding the the design process early on. Clear and adaptation of sites of heritage significance. coherent interpretation builds understanding of the site among the Other guiding documents should include users, managers and community. feasibility studies to explore options for Such knowledge decreases the heritage reuse and a robust masterplan. The site’s vulnerability to future changes. Conservation Management Plan and masterplan are vital for informing ongoing work. These need to be budgeted for and invested in. The masterplan needs to embed long-term strategies for the site, while also leaving space for flexibility and adaptation to respond to changes over time. This could include temporary uses or mothballing areas of the site that have high heritage values, but for which an immediate reuse cannot be found. The development of large sites is usually a long-term process, and the masterplan should include opportunities to rethink options as development progresses and in Flourmill Studios by Allen Jack + Cottier. Case Study 5. Photograph Steve Back.

4.8 Regulations At Carriageworks a sprinkler system Lessons was developed to avoid the requirement The regulatory environment can both • Close collaborative working to fire-rate the steel structure. See help and hinder the adaptive reuse of relationships between consultants, Case Study 3. industrial heritage. and with regulatory bodies, can lead Planning policy is important in making Occupational health and safety issues to effective solutions to regulatory adaptive reuse a viable option, and some also need to be carefully managed and requirements, which also maintain city councils include an industrial heritage processes established to accommodate the heritage qualities and policy within the planning scheme (for health and safety concerns without significance. example, Maribyrnong City Council). compromising the heritage values of the site. These may need to encompass • There is always more than one Zoning can also have a significant impact ongoing, changing and temporary uses. solution. Specialist consultants on the viability of the adaptive reuse need to work creatively with the of industrial heritage sites. Changes heritage and design teams to in zoning can lead to changes in land develop the best outcome. values, which can have an impact on the kinds of uses that are possible. For example, changing the zoning of an area to include multi-residential uses can aid urban regeneration, but it can also mean that land values increase to such an extent that lower-impact reuses are no longer viable. Fire safety, disability access, energy efficiency, security and occupational health and safety regulations can all require non-standard solutions in an industrial heritage context. In developing these it is important for the architectural and heritage team to work closely with consultants who understand both the heritage significance of the existing building or site and the design approach to the adaptive reuse. It is important to understand that there is always more than one way of achieving a desired outcome – consultants such as building surveyors, decontamination experts and engineers need to be creative too. For example, in the design for the reuse of the Crago Flour Mill, the architects worked closely with the BCA consultant and fire engineer, and the consultants’ innovative solutions for compliance issues allowed the design vision to be realised. See Case Study 5. 4.9 Contamination Lessons

Contamination is a major issue for many • Develop creative approaches to former industrial sites and can present remediating and containing significant challenges to their adaptive contamination to ensure that sites reuse. Cleaning up can be very costly are made safe for use without and some contamination experts are compromising heritage qualities quick to recommend demolition. In the and significance. context of industrial heritage it is important to develop more sophisticated • research approaches which have responses. In this regard, there is much been successfully used on other to learn from international examples sites with similar issues. and precedents. It is important to research what has been done elsewhere and on other sites. Many of the issues are similar at multiple industrial sites, so there is much to be gained by researching solutions taken elsewhere. It is important to have good consultants, who will take an inventive approach. Specialist site auditors need to work collaboratively with heritage architects and specialists to find ways to remediate sites that acknowledge and engage with the heritage significance of the site. A remediation plan will identify the primary issues and how to address them. This should be done early in the project planning phase. The most cost-effective solution is often to leave it in the site. In many cases covering or containing contamination can avoid the loss of significant fabric while making the site safe for future occupation. As with much heritage work, the best strategy is to do as much as necessary but as little as possible. 5. Further resources

One of the most important things to do “Breathing Life into the Corpse: Temporary Use when considering an adaptive reuse Upcycling through adaptive reuse” Creative Spaces project is to go and visit good examples. Essay by Stephen Ward in Designing for Creative Spaces is a program run by The 12 case studies accompanying this Zero Waste: consumption, technologies the City of Melbourne Arts and Culture issues paper are all well worth visiting and and the built environment, edited by Branch. It partners with government, addresses are provided for each project. Steffen Lehmann and Robert Crocker. philanthropic, private organisations, and In addition to looking at completed (Earthscan Series on Sustainable educational institutions to provide a range projects, the following websites and Design, 2012.) of services around space for arts and publications may be helpful. www.ura.unisa.edu.au/R/?func=dbin- cultural production. The website helps jump-full&object_id=61283 to link artists with available spaces, but “Perception of brownfield sites: also includes a range of information and Industrial Heritage Myth or reality?” resources, including the fact sheet Use The International Committee for the Essay by Connie Susilawati and Kelsey of Vacant or Underutilised Floor Space Conservation of the Industrial Heritage Thomas, Remediation Australia 11 (2012). For Artist: Studios: Information for owners (TICCIH). and property consultants. TICCIH’s aim is to study, protect, conserve www.creativespaces.net.au/ and explain the remains of Adaptive Reuse Renew Australia industrialisation. TICCIH is the special New Uses for Heritage Places Renew Australia is a social enterprise that adviser to ICOMOS on industrial heritage. Publication by the Heritage Council works with communities and property TICCIH has recently published the book of New South Wales and the Royal owners to take otherwise empty shops, Industrial Heritage Retooled: The TICCIH Australian Institute of Architects NSW offices, commercial and public buildings Guide to Industrial Heritage Conservation. Chapter, 2008. and make them available to incubate www.ticcih.org/ www.architecture.com.au/i-cms? short term use by artists, creative projects Looking After Our Industrial Heritage. page=15043 and community initiatives. Although not specifically concerned with heritage This section of the English Heritage Adaptive Reuse: Preserving our past, buildings, the website offers an excellent website contains useful material and building our future. information for the public, building owners range of resources and guides to assist Publication by the Australian Government and professionals. This includes links to those investigating temporary uses. Department of the Environment and download Conservation Bulletin 67 “Saving www.renewaustralia.org/ Heritage, 2004. www.environment.gov.au/ the Age of Industry”, and the report heritage/publications/protecting/pubs/ Encouraging Investment in Industrial adaptive-reuse.pdf Heritage at Risk by Colliers International. www.english-heritage.org.uk/content/ The Social Impacts of Heritage-led imported-docs/a-e/encouraging- Regeneration. investment-industrial-heritage-at-risk- A 2008 report by Ela Palmer Heritage, main-report.pdf. and www.english- commissioned by the Agencies heritage.org.uk/caring/heritage-at-risk/ Coordinating Group (ACG), an assemblage industrial-heritage-at-risk/our- of historic environment organisations industrial-heritage/ incorporating the Architectural Heritage Fund, the Civic Trust, the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, the Association of Preservation Trusts, and the Prince’s Regeneration Trust. Vacant Historic Buildings: An owner’s Australian Heritage Strategy, guide to temporary uses, maintenance Commissioned Essays. and mothballing. A series of essays commissioned as part An English Heritage guide to help owners of the Australian Heritage Strategy to help to reduce the risks facing empty buildings. identify key issues facing the heritage www.english-heritage.org.uk/ sector. Essays address the following publications/vacanthistoricbuildings/ questions: What is heritage?, Whose heritage is it?, Who are the players and what roles do they play?, What are Community Consultation community expectations for heritage Neighbourhood Planning in Urban protection? and What are the social and Renewal Areas: Community engagement economic benefits of heritage? framework, a consultation model for URB. www.environment.gov.au/heritage/ strategy/documents.html Urban Renewal Brisbane, July 2008 Sustainability and Heritage Guidance Sheets. Heritage Guidelines from Heritage Council of The Burra Charter: The Australia ICOMOS Victoria, Heritage Victoria and the Building Charter for Places of Cultural Significance Commission, 2012. and The Illustrated Burra Charter: Good www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/heritage/projects- practices for heritage places. and-programs/heritage-places-and- sustainability The principal reference for all work on heritage sites in Australia. www.australia.icomos.org/publications/ charters/ and http://australia.icomos.org/ publications/other-publications/ Making Heritage Happen: Incentives and Policy Tools for Conserving Our Historic Heritage. A report by the National Incentives Taskforce for the Environment Protection and Heritage Council, 2004. www.environment.gov.au/heritage/ publications/strategy/pubs/heritage- policy-tools.pdf