In an age of diminishing natural resources, architects and their clients need to know about an environmentally sustainable alternative to new construction: new life for old buildings. This book presents six case-study buildings, each more than a generation old, that were on the brink of oblivion. Mitchell | Giurgola Architects worked closely with the client to determine how each project could be salvaged by incorporating updated program elements to serve a new generation of users. All six case studies present in detail how each project was analyzed, from its energy use and curtainwall performance to its mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, and structural stability. The buildings often expand in size, with a seamless melding of new and old. Contemporary curtainwalls not only improve building performance, but also lend a fresh aesthetic appeal. The results are born-again buildings created for a fraction of the cost of, and that consume far fewer materials than a new facility built from scratch. Today, our cities and suburbs are peppered with buildings of the same vintage as those profiled here that are on the brink of failure and are excellent candidates for rebirth. Mitchell | Giurgola documents a new, more sustainable approach to design and construction that builds on the past, and makes the old better than new.

Content - Preface, Foreword, Introduction, CASE STUDIES, Total Renovation/New Skins, The Lighthouse International Headquarters, Powdermaker Hall Renovation, New York County Family Court Building Renovation, Interior Renovation/New Addition, Boyd Hall Addition and Renovation, New Science Building Renovation and Addition, Campus Intervention, Elementary and High School, Spain, APPENDIX, Credits, Boomer Building Experience, Firm Profile, Acknowledgments