Upcycling of 1970s Strip Mall

We were approached by a developer who specializes in the adaptive reuse of existing buildings to create new retail and hospitality hubs. They wanted to work with a different kind of architect that could provide an out of the box approach, as well as a commitment to construction integrity. The building itself was a prototypical Houston strip mall spanning the whole length of a city block. The strategy here was to carve into the existing structure to bring natural light and vegetation in, by inserting a series of small gardens, courtyards and open loggias. The aim of all these interventions is to create a buffer between the busy commercial street and the spaces of the project, allowing it to become an oasis in the city.