Weaving persistent reuse: adaptive architecture in Strathroy’s industrial past

Abstract

This thesis investigates an abandoned flour mill and silo complex in Strathroy, Ontario, reimagined as a mixed-use farmers' market and residential project capable of long-term flexibility. The study explores how adaptive architecture can expand existing theories of adaptive reuse by creating adaptable spaces from an abandoned industrial building. Adaptive architecture extends the idea of adaptive reuse further than a single-use transformation and proposes a framework for buildings that evolve alongside continuously shifting human needs and other external conditions. Through case study and analysis of theories of obsolescence, adaptability, and persistence, the research identifies the need for design approaches that encourage continual occupation rather than repeated cycles of reuse. By applying adaptive principles, the study proposes that architecture designed for change, if successful, could extend building life, preserve identity, provide continued human occupancy, and support a resilient relationship between architecture and community.