Prologue: Beyond single use: looking back and looking forward at the open building movement

Purpose This study explores the adaptive reuse of Toma Church through the principles of the open building (OB) approach, considering sustainable conservation and functional flexibility goals. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research approach was adopted, incorporating architectural documentation, literature review, analytical evaluation and spatial comparison. Findings The proposed design plan includes modular partitions, portable service units and flexible circulation systems to ensure long-term adaptability without compromising architectural authenticity. Additionally, spatial modifications enhanced accessibility and integration with the urban fabric and transformed the Church into an active public space rather than a static heritage site. Originality/value The findings demonstrate that the OB approach not only preserves the historical and architectural value of heritage buildings but also ensures their sustained relevance within social and urban contexts. This study contributes to the field of sustainable conservation by demonstrating that OB principles provide a practical model for the adaptive reuse of cultural heritage buildings.

Purpose This study explores how design strategies based on modular thinking intersect with the principles of open building movement (OBM), in early architectural education. It aims to assess the pedagogical value of OBM's adaptability-focused framework when applied in a studio environment. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative case study was conducted on 20 student projects developed in a second-year architecture studio focused on modular, reconfigurable residential units for temporary student use. The projects were evaluated through core OBM principles – support–infill distinction, user agency and adaptation – alongside selected ideas from the Metabolism movement. Student feedback and iterative reflections were incorporated to triangulate the analysis. Findings Students successfully engaged with OBM concepts, especially at the infill level, using modular strategies to enable personalization and post-occupancy adaptability. However, the standardized dimensions of the living modules and students’ limited experience in technical knowledge and detailing led to limitations such as structural rigidity, reduced facade flexibility and insufficient technical resolution in the projects. Social implications The study posits adaptability as a social necessity, advocating for architectural education that prepares students to create resilient, inclusive environments. It emphasizes how OBM principles can democratize design, enabling transient users to modify environments without expensive renovations – a vital approach for sustainable urbanization. Originality/value This paper distinctly connects the systemic modularity of Metabolism with the user-centric pragmatism of OBM, evaluating their joint significance as a pedagogical foundation in early architectural education. It enhances discussions on sustainable design by framing adaptability as an instructive competency that reconciles industrial discipline, ecological resilience and participatory equity.

This research explores the concept of open building (OB) in the context of low-cost housing, focusing on its historical applications in Egypt during the 1980s. By evaluating past experiences, the study aims to extract key lessons that can inform the design and implementation of contemporary social housing projects. The goal is to foster resilience and diversity in housing typologies to ensure they align with the evolving needs of residents. To achieve these objectives, the research employed a multi-dimensional strategy, beginning with a comprehensive literature review of the open building movement (OB); then, the study traced the evolution of the OB movement in Egypt using a qualitative analysis approach, which involved analyzing its implementation in low-cost housing projects over the past four decades. Through this historical lens, the study identifies design principles and strategies that can enhance social housing projects by applying OB. Considering the life cycle cost, OB enables an incremental process that would align with users’ financial capacities. The research revealed the substantial capacity of open building (OB) to address Egypt’s social housing challenges, primarily by fostering user-driven flexibility in housing unit design and area selection. This empowers occupants to choose spaces perfectly suited to their family’s evolving needs. Moreover, the findings provide a roadmap for revitalizing the OB movement by analyzing and overcoming past implementation difficulties, consequently balancing the initial cost and long-term economics for citizens and significantly reducing the governmental sector’s expenditure.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to uncover and evaluate the process and result of applying open building principles to create a long life (100 plus years), accommodating and dynamic building that could readily enable the iterative reconfiguration of spaces to reflect changing demographics and evolving pedagogies and to do so economically, with minimal disruption. Design/methodology/approach The focus of this article is the Discovery Building and Exploration Building at Santa Monica High School in Santa Monica, California. A collaboration of two architectural firms won the commission to design a major multi-purpose building on a high school campus with an open-ended program and a desire for flexibility. The design team proposed a loft building and designed it to be highly adaptable by employing strategies espoused by the internationally recognized open building movement. The team also won a second major commission for the Exploration Building, recently opened and inviting comparison between the two projects. Findings Now occupied for three years, the Discovery Building has become a model for future-proofing new facilities in the Santa Monica–Malibu Unified School District. Students and faculty have responded positively to the dynamic and flexible learning environment and changes in use and specific reconfigurations have been aided by the open building principles that have guided the design of this facility. Research limitations/implications Given the relatively short time span of the building's occupation, Discovery Building's capacity for change has not been fully tested. The project would greatly benefit from a full scale post-occupancy evaluation. The Exploration Building just opened last year and needs time to be tested through occupation, but it already invites comparisons in terms of similarities and differences in strategy. Social implications The way this building has been conceptualized and realized invites ongoing participation of faculty, students and administrators in the shaping of spaces that foster the education of both the individual and the collective. Originality/value The Discovery Building is the first education building explicitly designed according to open building principles in North America. As such, it is a model for future educational facilities of all kinds.