Angus Gale

Buildings that are designed for single purposes are a threat to future development, designing for adaptation is a much more efficient way of design as it creates room for physical changes to a building, increasing the overall flexibility. Mixed-use buildings, in this case a community centre, are buildings that are constantly required to adapt due to changes in societies requirements and expectations.

The purpose of this dissertation is to establish several adaptive design methods and explore how they can increase the flexibility of a modern, mixed-use building in an urban area. Research was gathered via an in-depth literature review to attain information on two separate sections:

1. Community Centres
2. Adaptability

Furthermore, a series of precedent studies were collected and analysed to gain a detailed understanding on a range of adaptable technologies. Interviews were conducted with professionals working in community centres. They were recorded, transcribed and analysed to help aid the project design aspect.
The research conducted assisted the development of a community centre design, utilizing various adaptable design strategies to increase the overall flexibility.