History is Enchanting

The Gare d’Orsay in Paris, a museum for impressionist paintings, used to be a railway station. Located on the left bank of the Seine, it was transformed by renowned Italian architect Gae Aulenti and opened to the public in 1986. It remains to be Paris’ most visited museum, featuring works by great artists like Manet, Degas, Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Rodin, and Renoir.

In London, Herzog & de Meuron converted the huge Bankside Power Station into Tate Modern. Located on the south bank of the River Thames, the building opened as a modern art museum and gallery in 2000. It is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary art in the world and remains to be the most visited museum in Britain.

Closer to my home in Italy, a former pasta factory, La Pantanella, was converted into an apartment building. And in New York, many of us know that the quintessential loft apartments–spaces originally built for industrial use–were turned by artists in the 60s and 70s into cool and popular living/working spaces.

These examples fall under the concept of adaptive reuse, which involves the repurposing of heritage structures into establishments to be used in a new or different way. I am personally interested in this kind of work as these structures present a particular charm, and because the work offers great fulfillment. It is rewarding to be able to bring something old and maybe dilapidated back to its former beauty and glory, complete with all the new features.

The business that I started many years ago in Italy was concerned about converting existing structures into new developments. I was able to make plenty of projects like that–converting and repurposing old family houses and small buildings in Viterbo, Italy and many other places in the country. There was an old and abandoned opificio, a bricks factory called La Scafa, that we worked on and were given recognition for during a competition. 

Working on projects like this would make anyone feel the history through the beautiful materials like antique wood and stones or old steel. And although it is particularly difficult or challenging, the work requires a specific approach and deep understanding of the historical value of the structure being preserved. The result is almost always extremely charming, a beautiful part of a place’s history, story, and culture.

I have seen plenty of beautiful old structures in Manila that may be reused for modern purposes–some of these buildings are more recent or built in the 50s or 60s. I believe it can become a valuable asset for the metropolis–specifically for the tourism sector and the economy–if these structures can be restored or given a new life. 

The concept of adaptive reuse may be applied not just to buildings or structures but to whole neighborhoods or blocks and public spaces. If certain areas can be successfully restructured in this way, it can become new tourism centers that visitors from all over the world would love to see. After all, everyone is attracted to history and beauty.

About Architect Romolo Nati

Romolo Valentino Benedetto Nati known as Romolo Nati or RVN, is a multi-awarded Italian architect and businessman with interest in sustainable development (energy and real estate). He is the current Executive Chairman and CEO of Italpinas Development Corporation (IDC), an Italian-Filipino real estate development firm that specializes in the design and development of sustainable buildings. He is also the Vice Chairman of the Philippine renewable energy company Constellation Energy Corporation (CEC) that focuses in acquiring, financing and developing small to medium-scale renewable energy projects across the Philippines. Follow Architect Nati on FacebookTwitter and LinkedIn. 

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