Adaptive use of small-scale, civic infrastructural heritage

Abstract

Small-scale, civic infrastructural buildings and structures that have lost their purpose-built use and have been decommissioned are often abandoned, overlooked or demolished. They can become hidden in plain sight in communities around the world. Even if the original use is no longer feasible, it may be possible to use adaptively and rehabilitate the building or structure, thereby extending service life and promoting sustainability. Although modest in scale, civic infrastructural heritage sites associated with water supply and sewers can tell vital stories of civil engineering design meeting public health needs. They do this not at the scale of a grand monument, but at the scale of the pedestrian. Rehabilitation and repurposing (e.g. adaptive use) can pose unique challenges: (a) due to their relatively small dimensions, appropriate new use(s) must be carefully coordinated with stewards and stakeholders, and (b) preservation of character-defining features must be balanced with the design modifications necessary to accommodate new programming. Coupled with interpretive panels that help the public understand their significance, these reactivated structures can become vibrant cultural heritage destinations within their neighbourhoods, promoting sustainability and once again bringing them to the forefront of society’s civic consciousness.