Extreme Adaptive Reuse: The Analytics of Deconstruction and the Upcycling of Building Materials

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the process of building deconstruction and the upcycling of building materials. It critiques the staggering amount of waste the construction industry (and by extension architectural profession) produces and the controversial practice of facadism. These areas are studied by focusing on the Vogue Optical Building located on Barrington Street in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. This thesis intends to become a case study reference for future deconstruction projects, present an alternative option to demolition and facadism and most importantly, to demonstrate how the life cycle of a material can be extended through creative upcycling and transformation.