The New BFS as a Tool for Adaptive Reuse : A case study on how silos in Luleå can be repurposed into student housing

Sammanfattning

This master thesis explores the adaptive reuse of industrial heritage through the transformation of a disused concrete silo into student housing. Against the backdrop of Sweden’s urgent housing shortage and the introduction of the new building regulations, the study investigates how regulatory changes affect the feasibility and quality of adaptive reuse projects. The project combines architectural design with critical regulatory analysis to evaluate how flexibility in the new building regulations can promote sustainable urban development. The purpose of the research is to investigate how the flexibility introduced in the new building regulations can support the adaptive reuse of existing buildings while ensuring architectural quality, social value, and environmental sustainability. A qualitative, exploratory, and abductive research approach was adopted, integrating literature and document reviews, interviews, and a design case study. The Research by Design approach guided the work, allowing research and creativity to support each other. The case study, a former concrete silo in Luleå, served to apply theoretical knowledge in a practical design proposal. The results indicate that the new building regulations offer greater flexibility in reusing existing structures, potentially reducing environmental impact and preserving cultural heritage. However, the study also identifies challenges, including ambiguous daylight and ceiling height standards that risk compromising housing quality. Through the design proposal, the project illustrates how regulatory interpretation and architectural innovation can align to potentially create functional, sustainable, and socially valuable student housing. The thesis contributes to the discourse on adaptive reuse within Sweden’s evolving regulatory landscape. It highlights the potential of silos as spatial and cultural resources, emphasizing the role of architects in balancing preservation, transformation, and policy adaptation. The findings underline that successful adaptive reuse depends not only on design ingenuity but also on the clarity and flexibility of the regulatory framework that governs it.