Where the structure is sound and the simplicity of form holds merit, adaptive reuse just makes sense. RTA Studio loves adding more of these treasures to our storybook. We’ve done it with projects such as the redevelopment of the Tribune precinct in Hastings (where we modernised the former printing-press hall into a light-filled atrium) and, just recently, in our own Morningside workspace – a contemporary reimagining that retained the 430sqm steel-engineering shed’s sense of history.
So even though this ugly duckling had a box with a popped-up mezzanine tacked on to its public-facing front, and the patchwork roofing had seen better days, and the porous concrete-block walls were white with efflorescence, the original intention deserved a replay.
Our simplified design celebrates the simplicity of the 27-metre-long single gable. Haphazard street-side additions were removed to create parking out front and expose the gable end, now fully glazed so that the internal structural detail – the rafters and beams - become a hero of the piece. This better-defined entry to the building features a fine-finned steel shroud, which filters the soft southern light. A head-height barrier wall in precast concrete screens off and protects the car-parking zone.
With a mezzanine insertion now relegated to history, the interior volume expands cleanly into the roofline. Precast-concrete columns and gantry beams and pulleys remain, but the block walls have been lined with white corrugated-steel sheet to craft a sleek, contemporary version of a shed. The all-white surfaces help maximise natural light and allow the spatial forms to become the primary focus. The soft drape of white curtaining closes off meeting rooms positioned in a glazed box set to one side of the open-plan office.
A reception area and staff kitchen are integrated within the plan, grounded by the raw integrity of existing concrete floors, while golden-toned carpeting that defines the desk areas lends energy, identity and movement, without overwhelming the minimalist aesthetic. A north-facing courtyard is a secluded spot for lunch in the sun.
When old bones meet a contemporary register, the result is a win for sustainability - and for heritage neighbourhoods with a colourful story to tell.