Out of the box – reinventing the industrial warehouse

This paper looked into the possibilities of adaptive reusethrough the environmental retrofit of an existing warehouse. The project was built on the intent of convertingan abandoned building into an exhibition hall, within the tropical island climate of Subic Bay, Philippines.Analyses of the existing warehouse were undertaken;from this initial study, three main strategies were identified shading, the use of thermal mass, and ventilation.These three aspects formed the core of the research,and were further investigated through the use of computer simulations. Environmental design standards and targets were established through literature review and a small-scale comfort survey. Results of the entire exercise were used to inform a design solution for the chosen building. Key features of the proposal are the use of a double-roof system, the introduction of thermalinertia to the walls, and the use of high-level inlets and outlets for natural ventilation. Computer analyses of the final design solution showed an improvement in internal building conditions; however, mechanical coolingis still necessary for certain periods of the year. The design also employed a modular system which allows repetitive application in different settings and buildings, facilitating adaptive reuse efforts.