VIRTUAL Barcelona

Abstract

Material and energy consumption present serious challenges for the construction industry, necessitating drastic reductions in carbon emissions and impact-mitigating strategies. As the effects of climate change intensify, repurposing buildings is recognized as more sustainable than demolishing and constructing new ones, despite still demanding substantial materials and straining planetary resources. Recent scholars promote sustainability by advocating for the repurposing and remodeling of existing spaces using strategies that minimally alter the building’s structure and use fewer resources. A recent study of Copenhagen’s coffee shops shows how vacant industrial buildings can be transformed into attractive sites without extensive renovations, promoting sustainability and offering other benefits. In densely populated cities like Hong Kong, where buildable land is scarce, vacant buildings are rare, as older structures are often demolished for new construction. However, a similar trend of converting buildings originally meant for other purposes into coffee shops in older neighborhoods exists. This study explores the sustainability and user experience benefits of repurposing buildings not originally intended for coffee shops, and how this can activate neighborhoods in Hong Kong. It aims to identify suitable building types for new occupants that require minimal financial and material remodeling costs, drawing on observations from the architecture and remodeling strategies of +700 coffee shops. We find that two building types not initially intended for coffee shops—shophouses (Tong Lau, 2–4 stories and height-restricted to 1.25 times the street width) and composite buildings (multi-story, early modernist from the 1950s–60s)—are particularly appealing to patrons. Identifying these specific building types helps focus future research on the adaptation.challenges and benefits of new occupants, involving interviews with practitioners who convert these buildings into cafés.