ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTION STRATEGIES IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE BUILDINGS INTO CONTEMPORARY ART SPACES: A COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

This study investigates the morphological and structural transformations that occur when decommissioned industrial heritage buildings are adapted into contemporary art spaces. While adaptive reuse is widely celebrated, a significant gap remains in systematically comparing how diverse post-industrial envelopes constrain or guide spatial design and heritage retention. To address this, we establish a multi-layered evaluation framework combining physical-structural, spatial-volumetric, and conceptual-identity dimensions. Methodologically, a two-tier sampling approach was developed: a broad screening sample of 16 global projects was mapped to provide a comparative baseline for contextualising broader tendencies, from which four focal cases- Zeitz MOCAA, Tate Modern, BALTIC Centre, and Pirelli HangarBicocca were purposively selected for in-depth analysis. To prevent analytical circularity, these focal cases were chosen independently of their intervention strategies, based strictly on functional comparability, typological and spatial variation, and documentary completeness. Their spatial transformations are evaluated using an operational framework of co-existing primary (dominant) and secondary (supporting) strategies (subtraction/carving, addition, layering, and void preservation). The findings indicate that industrial typology does not deterministically dictate a single design outcome but strongly conditions spatial and structural possibilities. Vertical storage typologies show a morphological tendency toward internal carving or horizontal layering to overcome structural compartmentalisation, whereas horizontal production halls favour void preservation. These focal-case findings illustrate tendencies in depth and are interpreted in relation to the broader 16-case comparative baseline rather than as independent evidence of general prevalence. Furthermore, the study reveals a critical divergence between contemporary identity reconstruction and heritage conservation quality; high-profile conversions can compromise internal structural integrity while maintaining urban legibility. Crucially, without empirical user research, all spatial and circulation findings are presented strictly as interpretive architectural analyses of the layout, offering a systematic and replicable analytical framework for comparative heritage analysis.