Adaptive Reuse: Atmospherics in Buildings Repurposed as Coffee Shops

Abstract

Opening a business in an existing building incurs lower energy and material consumption than constructing a new building. However, implementing this strategy in certain domains, such as retail and hospitality, requires operational changes. Despite an increasing focus on sustainability in these sectors, the primary objective remains creating appealing spaces for consumers, with companies frequently stipulating numerous requirements for their stores’ new buildings. To promote sustainability, scholars have suggested that organizations, designers, and constructors find new uses for existing spaces. This study highlights how adapting buildings not built for commercial use can both promote sustainability and benefit new users. It explores a trend in European cities where existing buildings, often outside the usual commercial districts, are repurposed as cafés. Many of these projects provide attractive user destinations without requiring extensive renovations. Specifically, we investigate coffee shops in Copenhagen and the atmospheric characteristics that enhance their appeal. Based on observations and interviews, new and old atmospheric components and the atmospheres they jointly create are identified and divided into themes: capacious and accommodating environments, uniqueness, synergy between old and new, and appealing neighborhoods. Finally, user responses to these themes—such as lingering, revisiting, sharing narratives, influencing neighborhood development, and building communities—are described.