15/06/2026
Adaptive reuse is often associated with conserving heritage buildings. Yet at its heart, it is about urban development and place-making.
This was a recurring theme at SLA's panel discussion during the World Cities Summit, where city leaders and practitioners from Singapore, Portugal, Japan and Australia shared how a diverse range of spaces, from former railway station, century-old disused theatre, and military site to UNESCO World Heritage properties and historic shophouses, have been thoughtfully reimagined for new uses while retaining the character and stories that make them distinctive.
While the projects discussed varied widely in scale, age and context, the conversation revealed several common principles behind successful adaptive reuse efforts:
* Buildings are most likely to endure when they continue to create value for communities, whether through housing, businesses, community spaces, cultural activities or public amenities.
* Community engagement is essential. Understanding the needs and aspirations of local communities helps shape outcomes that are both meaningful and impactful. In many cases, it is the community itself that helps define what a place should become.
* Successful adaptive reuse projects require a clear vision, strong partnerships and the flexibility to balance regulatory requirements, heritage considerations and evolving community needs.
* Creating accessible spaces for people to gather, connect and interact with is often key to helping communities rediscover and build new connections with a place.
Thank you to our panellists Ana Abrunhosa, Geoffrey McDonald, Ivy Koh and Tomomi Yamash*ta, as well as moderator Professor Joseph Ooi, for an insightful discussion. The diverse experiences shared alongside SLA Chief Executive Calvin Phua demonstrated that while every city is different, the goal remains the same: creating places that remain relevant, meaningful and valued by the communities they serve.