Journal Details
Reframing Human Experience Through Adaptive Reuse in Contemporary Architecture
Authors:Aurora Ausrine Kezyte
Open AccessJournal Type: Methodology ArticleSubject: Architecture & Civil EngineeringSubject Field: Architecture, Arts and ApplicationsVolume:180, Issue: 1, September, 2025Publish Date: 10 September 2025
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Pages: 22-33
Abstract
As urban centers face escalating challenges of climate change, resource scarcity, and aging infrastructure, the discipline
of architecture is being called to transcend technical efficiency and address the full spectrum of human experience. This
paper positions adaptive reuse not only as an ecological strategy but also as a framework for cultural continuity,
cognitive well-being, and embodied interaction. Building on insights from ecological psychology, embodied cognition,
and neuroarchitecture, the study introduces the H-AIR framework (Human-Centered Adaptive Reuse for Interaction and
Resilience)—a multidimensional approach structured around four interrelated pillars: spatial adaptability, sensory
engagement, digital integration, and cultural continuity. Methodologically, the research advances a hybrid design that
combines comparative case studies of adaptive reuse projects, behavioral mapping of occupant interaction, and
emerging neuroscientific techniques such as Mobile Brain/Body Imaging (MoBI). This triangulated approach allows for
the integration of qualitative narratives with quantitative evidence, capturing both cultural specificity and embodied
perception. Preliminary findings demonstrate that adaptive reuse projects designed with human-centered strategies
foster stronger emotional attachment, enhanced social interaction, and measurable neurocognitive responses to
architectural thresholds and material continuity. The paper contributes to the growing field of neuroarchitecture by
embedding empirical evidence into adaptive reuse discourse and offers practical guidance for architects and
policymakers seeking to balance ecological performance with human resilience. Ultimately, adaptive reuse is reframed
as a process of ecological and human healing, where neuroscience, culture, and design converge to create identity-rich
and cognitively supportive environments.