FIELD OBSERVATION

Adaptive Reuse: MadTree Brewing

Going back to rewilding, an adaptive reuse project presents the framework to allow nature to reinhabit available space and connect the built environment with nature. MadTree Brewing in Cincinnati, Ohio took an existing airplane hangar adjacent to a manufacturing facility and repurposed it as a brewery and taproom/beer garden respectively. The industrial materials of the existing facility are celebrated in a way that shows the layers of history within the space, while also giving identity to MadTree. The roof and two walls were removed on part of the factory to allow the space to become outdoor patio seating. Because one brick wall with window thresholds remains, the patio still has an interior quality while being completely open to the elements. The string lighting hanging from the old structure gives the massive space a more human and intimate scale, allowing a change in spatial dynamic from day to night.

On the interior part of the taproom, green walls and ferns suspended from the open ceiling are utilized in a way that adds color and life to a very industrial setting. The windows operate as garage doors and allow air and sunlight to flow through the interior while connecting occupants to the outdoors. Adaptive reuse allows the juxtaposition of old and new, and even presents opportunities to use nature as surface. Reusing a building benefits the natural environment as well because the structure already exists, and therefore fewer resources go to waste.

In each of these spaces where publicness, interior urbanism, and adaptive reuse are exemplified, nature has a strong presence. Various pathways and the biophilic principles of prospect, refuge, sensorial connections to nature, and the presence of water (Browning et al. 2014) created serenity and put my mind at ease. Being surrounded by nature formed a desire to live amongst it and reap the benefits such as reduced stress and mental fatigue, increased happiness, lowered blood pressure, better concentration, and improved attention span, (Satılmış et al. 2022). When designing this project, I would like to ensure occupants experience the benefits of biophilic design. It is also a goal of mine to transform an urban obsolete space into an environment for both architecture and landscape to symbiotically coexist.

In the final collage, I used tritone coloration to explore three elements. Historic, new, and nature collide to create a space that provides many uses and can be appreciated in various seasons. I wanted to question how nature can take back a structure as well as perfectly coexist with a manmade space.