Adaptive reuse mock article

1. The Gallery of Ruins
Adaptive Reuse of Ruins
The Burra Charter
Renewable technologies
ARCHITECTURE AUSTRALIA
NOV/DEC 2019
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Photograph
Pratyush
Munjal

2. Heritage
Adaptive Reuse
Architecture Australia
The Gallery of Ruins
Burra Stone Village
Burra, South Australia
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3. he remnants of the Cornish mining town
of Burra in the South Australian mid-north
may not be the first thing that pops in the mind
with an association to the word ‘ruins’ but it has
a long-standing history of over 150 years. The
proof of this is the 40th anniversary of the
Burra charter held on 8th of October 2019.
The charter sets a solid foundation for heritage
practice all over Australia. Burra is one of the
earliest settlements in Australia and it owes it to
the mineral-rich land that soon became the
largest metalliferous mine in Australia. 'The
Monster Mine', as it was regularly called, served
to make an environment of Copper insanity in
South Australia. It guaranteed the colony a time
of phenomenal development, thriving, and
world eminence, as it contributed to an
enormous extent of world Copper yield. In
recent times, the town has been known for its
sheep breeding and the thriving cultural tourism
industry. (Grguric B et al. 1994)
The thought of derelict structures in a state
of despair is often considered to be a blemish
to the picture of a locality. When time halts for
a structure, it does not speak to that
solitary minute in history but the entirety of its
survived period. There may not be any apparent
usage to these half-pulverized ruins in its
Heritage
Architecture Australia
current state but it has a great potential that can
be untapped by breathing new life into it.
Ruinous structures offer windows into the time
period it represents and also the patterns
through history that lead up to the era.
(Olander D et al. 2016)
Through the passage of time, built
structures tend to become local landmarks that
evoke powerful emotions for the residents and
visitors likewise. The skeletal remains of the
150-year old houses of the Cornish miners
arouse a similar feeling. The prospective
proposal of an adaptive re-use project within
the historic plot of the Bertram house and the
Mueller house by the Council of Goyder in its
recent proceedings has been an enticing
development for the town of Burra. This
project could potentially add on to the touristic
appeal of Burra which includes the self-guided
heritage tour developed in the early 1980s
known as the Burra Heritage Passport. (Carson
DA et al. 2014)
“To provide meaningful
architecture is not to parody
history, but to articulate it.”
-Daniel Libeskind
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Render
Pratyush
Munjal
Entrance
T

4. The chosen site for the adaptive reuse
project entitled as ‘Burra Stone Village’ is
towards the extreme north of the Hampton
village. The 4800 sq m. land consisting of the
dilapidated remains of two mining houses is set
within a picturesque surrounding overlooking
green pastures. The landscape in itself has an
attractive quality that is amplified by the ruinous
structures made of bluestone rubble masonry
sourced from an adjacent quarry. The newly-
built structures facilitate gallery spaces and
educational facilities that encompass all the
existing ruins within the site. This serves as the
primary function of the design. The secondary
function is to aid the built facilities with a wide
range of renewable technologies to make the
entire piece of land self-sustainable. The idea is
to portray the rich heritage of the Cornish
settlement with minimal damage caused to the
existing ruins throughout the life-span of the
newly developed stone village. A narrative on
the history of the surroundings connected with
spaces rendered newly accessible to the public
is developed through the design. (Camocini, B
& Nosova, O 2017)
The concept for the design is developed
based on the location of existing ruins on the
site. The site has an inclination towards the
south with a drop of 8 meters from the highest
point and a majority of the ruins lie 4.5 meters
below the ground level at the north. The gallery
spaces run upon this contour level which can
be accessed from the large existing tree.
Heritage
Architecture Australia
A proposed solar farm has been
strategically placed at the northern edge of the
site near the tree to provide sufficient electricity
for all the facilities. The solar panels aligned at
39 degrees facing the north are isolated from
any other structures that may drop a shadow on
it. The inclination of the panels is based on the
geo-location of the site for maximum output.
Design strategies for the warm and mild climate
of the Hampton village such as minimal
glazing, use of passive solar shading on
northern windows and provision for cross
ventilation are also observed in the built
structures.
A central plaza adjacent to the
horizontally aligned gallery spaces connects the
Bertram house, Mueller house and the cellar
ruins that run halfway underground towards the
north and the ancillary facilities in the south
that are raised above the ground. The
picturesque quality of the site is capitalized on
by providing decks facing south. Provision of
ramps resting on brick cladded retaining walls
throughout the site provides multiple choices
for vertical movement for the disabled across
the site. The inclination of the ramp is gentle
and ideal for manual wheelchairs. The archways
running along the ramps and walkways provide
a flow of movement throughout the site as well
as administer the feeling of walking down a
tunnel in a mine. The niche spaces created
along the inclined walkways are populated with
a variety of native plant species.
“Design is a plan for
arranging elements in such
a way as best to accomplish
a particular purpose.”
Charles Eames
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Render
Pratyush
Munjal
Tree

5. It is the common understanding that good
architecture isn't seen uniquely through the
feeling of sight. Perception of space also
includes the signals received from the materials
that are touched, how space resonates, and what
smells are present. (Olander D et al. 2016) The
incorporation of the ruins within the fabric of
design has the ability to alter the perception of
a space. It provides a comprehensive backdrop
of the historical context.
The natural destiny of ruins is their decline,
the decay of their finishings, interiors and
structures. (Camocini, B & Nosova, O 2017)
The newly built structure designed around the
existing ruins serves the purpose of minimizing
this process. The aesthetic of the ruins is
captured in suspended animation within this
enclosing structure. Timber cladded stud walls
adjacent to the existing ruin walls and
refurbished stone tile flooring inside the
repurposed gallery area is a recurring
observation throughout the design. Steel
members are used for supporting the zinc
sheeting roof on the stud walls. The roof
overhang is flushed with the face of the
cladded wall along with drain pipes set inside to
harvest rainwater. Hempcrete has been used for
plain walls as a means for attaining thermal
comfort to tackle the harsh atmosphere. Use of
these sustainable materials yields a minimalistic
quality of spaces that do not overpower the
existing ruins.
Heritage
Architecture Australia
The display areas showcase the lifestyle of
the Cornish miners since their early arrival in
the 1850s. Physical exhibits such as tools used
for mining, traditional clothing and other
artefacts are displayed in the Bertram house.
Temporary exhibits are located near the main
reception in the Mueller house. This includes
restoration works done within the facility. The
cellar structure adjacent to the Bertram house
has been transformed into an exhibit in itself.
The bluestone masonry of the cellar is
accentuated with respect to the white-painted
internal walls around it. These walls portray
information about the predominant culture
during the peak of the Cornish settlement. It
also houses a food tasting kiosk to promote
different fresh produced cuisines available in
the café.
“Architecture belongs to
culture, not to civilization.”
Alvar Aalto
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Render
Pratyush
Munjal
Framed Gateways
Stone Gallery
Central Plaza

6. the education building. A veggie garden
consisting of 8 raised beds near the café is also
proposed for fresh supplies. Use of rammed
earth walls is observed in landscaped areas all
across the site.
The design of the proposed ‘Burra Stone
Village’ features a comprehensive design plan
with a thorough material study. The individual
qualities of the spaces are still conceptual in its
nature but show promise on further
development. The historical context of the site
is captured well by designing structures that
encompass the ruins as a way of preserving
them. The fluidity of the designed gallery
spaces has the potential to contain exhibits in
multiple sequences. Allocation of activity
spaces across the site has been executed
exceptionally. This provides an opportunity for
future addition to proposed facilities with ease.
Heritage
Architecture Australia
The key highlight of the gallery spaces is the
stone gallery designed between the Bertram and
the Mueller house. It consists of a wide stage
area for seminar and events along with large
stone seating designed around it. It is framed
with timber structures to dominate its presence
as an activity space. A stairwell connects this
central space to the main reception area at a
higher level on the site.
The southern part of the plaza is connected
to ancillary facilities which include a
bunkhouse, café and an education area. The
bunkhouse is large enough to occupy 20 people
in 4 separate dormitories. It is complete with a
balcony overlooking the southern pastures and
is accessible from the chalet accommodations in
the Mueller house plot towards the west of the
site. The southern flat part of the site is utilized
for stone mason’s construction yard adjacent to
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Render
Pratyush
Munjal

7. Heritage
Architecture Australia
• Oh Y et al. 2013, ‘A theoretical framework
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• Camocini B & Nosova O 2017, ‘A second
life for Contemporary Ruins. Temporary
Adaptive Reuse strategies of Interior
Design to reinterpret vacant spaces’, The
Design Journal, vol. 20, no. sup1, pp.
S1558–S1565.
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• References
• Johns R Keith 2006, ‘The Cornish at Burra,
South Australia’, Journal of Australasian
Mining History, vol. 4, pp. 166–182.
• Grguric B et al. 1994, ‘The Burra Burra
Mine, Burra, South Australia’, Mineralogical
Record, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 121–129.
• Allen, Caitlin 2004, ‘The road from Burra:
Thoughts on using the Charter in the
future’, Historic Environment, vol. 18, no.
1, pp. 50–53.
• Carson DA et al. 2014, ‘Understanding local
innovation systems in peripheral tourism
destinations’, Tourism Geographies, vol. 16,
no. 3, pp. 457–473.
• Peters S 2011, Materialrevolution
Sustainable and Multi-Purpose Materials for
Design and Architecture, De Gruyter,
Basel.