Reclaiming Space

This research explores how adaptive reuse can transform underutilised buildings in Wellington to create third spaces that are socially inclusive and woven into the existing urban fabric. Framed through a research-for-design and design-led-research methodology, the study positions design as both the process and the outcome of inquiry. It investigates how architectural adaptation can foster community resilience and social interaction beyond the traditional domains of home (first place) and work (second place). Drawing from literature on third place theory and adaptive reuse, the research analyses case studies of reused buildings that support contemporary community programmes. Through iterative design testing focussed on the Francis Holmes Building, the project develops spatial strategies that enhance accessibility, flexibility, and inclusivity which are key attributes for fostering informal social exchange, through the adaptive reuse of vacant earthquake prone buildings. The outcome proposes a scheme for adaptive reuse that could be applied across Wellington’s underutilised building stock offering strategies for creating interconnected, flexible, and socially vibrant third spaces. In doing so, it demonstrates how adaptive reuse can act as a catalyst for urban and social regeneration, embedding new life within the existing city fabric.