The regeneration of urban areas invites us to view brownfield sites as a palimpsest: Areas to be reinvented on the basis of what already exists. In Renens, the conversion of a former logistics centre into a multi-purpose building demonstrates the benefits of transformation over demolition.
Tabula scripta: Transforming what already exists to regenerate the city
The latest issue of Cahiers d’EspaceSuisse, dedicated to ‘Industrial brownfield sites: Territories in transition’, features an article by Emmanuel Rey and Sophie Lufkin on the potential of transforming existing buildings within urban regeneration processes. Through the concept of tabula scripta and the example of Creative Factory in Renens, this article challenges the logic of a tabula rasa approach and explores the resources of what already exists from the perspective of a low-carbon society.
