The jaw-dropping transformation of what was once a fairly haunting heap of concrete is just further proof that, for the determined architect, it's never too late to build on a forsaken building. When Puerto Rican firm Díaz Paunetto Arquitectos first arrived at the original structure, it had been untouched and falling apart for 20 years. Fast-forward six months, and the designers, commissioned by a local ecological school, managed to salvage what was left standing, creating a glassy contemporary multi-purpose room in the process.
Since the roof and walls of the second floor had all collapsed prior to the overhaul, the designers took the chance to create a much better vista with a large view-framing glass corner. They also wrapped the external staircase with a weatherproofing concrete slab roof, and enveloped the rest of the structure in steel cladding, which has cutouts reminiscent of the bamboo forest nearby. Durability aside, the colorful glass panes interspersed in the façades add some cheerful panache, too. Have a look.
· GELM Annex / Díaz Paunetto Arquitectos [ArchDaily]
· All Adaptive Reuse posts [ArchDaily]