50 Repurposed Buildings That Will Blow Your Mind

Old buildings, new purpose—adaptive reuse turns history into modern charm.

Damjan

• Published in Interesting
• November 17, 2024

Building construction is only one aspect of architecture; another is how such structures change over time. Many structures are designed initially with a specific function in mind, but as circumstances change, so do their purposes.

This is where adaptive reuse occurs—repurposing old buildings for new functions. Adaptive reuse highlights the potential of aging structures, whether a former factory transforms into offices or an old church becomes a café.

What makes adaptive reuse so compelling is the blend of old and new. Instead of demolishing buildings, architects breathe fresh life into them, preserving unique features like towering windows or vintage brickwork while adapting them for modern needs.

An old bank can become a cozy coffee shop, or a warehouse might become a stylish apartment. These buildings, once designed for one function, now serve a completely different purpose but retain their original charm.

Repurposing old buildings is also better for the environment. New construction requires a lot of resources while reusing an existing structure saves materials and reduces waste.

Many old buildings with solid foundations and durable materials were built to last, making them perfect candidates for reuse. This helps conserve resources but also reduces the environmental impact of building from scratch.

The creativity involved in adaptive reuse is genuinely remarkable. Old factories and warehouses can be transformed into art galleries, gyms, or swimming pools.

Churches might become cultural spaces or skating rinks. These unexpected transformations prove how versatile old buildings can be, offering new, exciting possibilities instead of staying abandoned.

Architecture can surprise you – what you see on the outside isn’t always what’s hidden inside.

"An Old Bank Is Now A Bookstore In Bucharest, Romania"

"This Book Store Was Built Inside An Abandoned Theater"

"German Restaurant Repurposed Giant Wine Barrels Into "Eating Pods"

"Local Mexican Restaurant Used To Be A Chinese Restaurant. Instead Of Painting Over A Mural, They Just Put Sombreros On The Pandas"

"London Church Converted Into A Swimming Pool"

"Abandoned Church Transformed By Skaters Into Something Straight Out Of A Video Game"

"Community College Turned A Former Mall Into A Campus"

"A Barn Converted Into A Home"

"Office Repurposed From Old Cement Factory In Sant Just Desvern, Spain By Ricardo Bofill (1973)"

"Church Turned Into A Concert Venue, Manchester UK"

"A Library In A Former Walmart, Mcallen, Tx"

"Coffee Shop Built Out Of Brightly Colored Shipping Containers"

"Discontinued Bridge Converted Into A Basketball Court In The Philippines"

"Soviet Water Tower As Bouldering Park In Jonava, Lithuania"

"Old Bank Turned Into A Coffee Shop In Greer, Sc"

"Power Plant Turned Bookstore And Restaurants, Baltimore, Md"

"Old Grain And Milk Factory Turned Into One Of The Most Popular Nightclubs Of The Netherlands (De Melkweg)"

"Converted Abandoned Church In Spain"

"This Museum In France Is A Former Swimming Pool"

"The Recinta Moderniste De Sant Pau - An Absolutely Incredible Art Nouveau Hospital-Turned-Museum That's Right Down The Street From The Sagrada Familia"

"Railway Tunnel Repurposed For Walking Path In Fairmont"

"House Of Worship? Only If Your God Is Beer"

"Welcome To C-Mine (Genk, Belgium). It Used To Be A Coal Mine. Now It’s A Cinema, Cultural Centre And It Has A Few Restaurants As Well!"

"Former Pub"

"Church Converted Into An Apartment Building (Philadelphia, USA)"

"Restaurant We Ate At Is A Converted Church (Zizzi In Cheltenham, UK)"

"This Grocery Store That Used To Be A Hockey Arena Still Has Center Ice Marked"

"My Local Dunkin’ Donuts Used To Be A Car Wash So The Drive Thru Is Inside The Building"

"My Local Library Used To Be A Jail"

"An Elevator Shaft Repurposed Into A Toilet"

"Old Mall Turned Into Apartments"

"This United States Post Office Repurposed Into A Grocery Store"

"Former Train Station Near Paris, Now A Mcd's"

"Fitness Center At The Beacon: A Luxury Apartment Complex Repurposed From A Hospital"

"My University Built A New Building Around An Existing One, Making The Outside Now Inside"

"This Pizza Hut Was Converted Into A House"

"Former Bell Labs Research Facility In Holmdel, New Jersey, After Being Revitalized As A Cultural Hub"

"Old Apartment Complex In Saigon Now Filled With Restaurants And Boutique Stores"

"This Old Bowling Alley Converted Into A Target. The Red Balls Are Bowling Balls"

"35 Ft Bus Converted Into A Cafe"

"This Dunkin' Donuts Used To Be A Bank"

"Movie Theater Turned Into Rock Climbing Gym"

"Pagony, Budapest, A Children's Swimming Pool Turned Into A Bar!"

"This CVS In La Was Once A Historic Theatre"

"Updated Priorities: Hamburg Brothel Transformed Into Covid-19 Testing Facility"

"This Goodwill Location Used To Be A Tower Records"

"Boarding School Owned By Dutch Colonist In Indonesia, Circa 1931, Turned Into KFC Today"

"A Former Bank Is Now A McDonald's In Kristiansand, Norway"

"An Old Barn Near Me Got Converted Into A McDonald's"

"Movie Theater Is Now A Vietnamese Supermarket"

Adaptive reuse is becoming more popular in cities with limited space and old buildings. It’s a way to bring new life to a neighborhood without tearing everything down and starting over.

Adaptive reuse also helps keep a place's history alive while making the buildings useful for today’s needs. Older buildings often have a unique charm that new buildings lack, and adaptive reuse helps maintain that character.

As cities continue to grow and change, adaptive reuse will likely play an important role in architecture. It allows architects to be creative, helps protect the environment, and keeps our cities' histories intact.

Damjan