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Facade retention, or “facadism”, is the practice of rebuilding a structure’s interior whilst retaining its original facade. It has become common practice in Aussie cities, where antique building exteriors are beautiful but the interiors leave much to be desired!
Often, it’s simply far too impractical to even attempt interior preservation, not to mention the outrageous costs that come with restoring old and obsolete building functions.
This is where facadism comes into the play and optimises what could otherwise be an uninhabitable or usable space.
And, given that Australian cities comprise beautiful heritage buildings with interiors that are incompatible with modern life, it’s only natural to want to rebuild their interior whilst maintaining their stunning exterior.
With this in mind, we’re going to discuss why facade retention is perfect for Aussie cities and why you should consider it for your property development:
They restore obsolete buildings
As much as many of us would love to preserve a heritage building’s interior it is important to understand that this is often impossible. Because, after all, most of Australia’s heritage buildings were constructed in the 19th and 20th Centuries, rendering them old, obsolete and impossible to preserve.
And, if they are not exactly impossible to preserve, you can absolutely be sure that it will cost an outrageous amount to preserve and renovate the heritage building’s obsolete components. Think about the artistry that would have to go into preserving a 19th Century bathroom, and where would you even find such a niche expert?
Yes, facadism is the best choice for preserving a heritage building’s exterior beauty whilst ensuring that the interior can become functional and/or inhabitable. You can create a modern beauty within the exterior of a stunning heritage building whilst ensuring that all modern comforts are accounted for and this is a very important thing for optimising space utilisation in Aussie cities.
They maintain the building’s exterior beauty
Australia’s heritage architectural styles are something to be admired the world over. From the gorgeous Georgian, to the vivacious Victorian and everything in between, our heritage buildings are part of our architectural history and, consequently, our national culture.
Therefore, the last thing people want to do is knock down the whole building just because the interior has long since had its day. Instead, the best thing to do is maintain that astounding art deco exterior whilst constructing a whole new building within its confines. People will still get to enjoy the building’s antiquated beauty whilst those occupying or working in the building will get to enjoy all its modern comforts – it’s a win-win for all!
They are cheaper than preservation
As aforementioned, preservation can be outrageously expensive. Think about all those antiquated property elements and then think about what it would cost to bring them back to full functionality – it’s simply not ideal for many developers and homeowners.
What’s more, many people simply opt for a more modern house, one that you can trust will provide you with a lovely warm shower at the end of a long winter’s day. And, sure, preservation could potentially still provide this for you, but it will cost you far more than if you were to even install a high quality shower to enjoy on such a cold, winter’s day.
So, with all this in mind, facadism really is a winning option for homeowners and property developers who want to maintain a heritage building’s external beauty whilst modernising its interior!
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