Build something new out of the old.

This is in response to Christine's post about Masdar City. The graphic is beautiful and the idea of a sustainable city in the desert is a very cool idea, but whenever I see something so shiny and new, I think of areas that have been left behind. I'm not totally knocking what is happening in and around Abu Dhabi, more reacting to the sense that to be innovative something must be new and totally created out of nothing.

What I get excited about is the repurposing of existing buildings and structures into new model spaces that can not only drive the creation of ideas, but also elevate an area. Pittsburgh contains tons of these examples and I even work at one of them, the Mattress Factory. The Mattress Factory has taken 2 (soon to be 3) decrepit buildings in a historic neighborhood in Pittsburgh and transformed them into contemporary art spaces. Among my favorite examples are the churches in the city that are being refurbished and repurposed into arts spaces, breweries, residency centers and entertainment venues.

Repurposing and renovating existing buildings and areas can elevate a geographic location to new heights. I don't know if everything being developed for Masdar City necessarily couldn't be applicable to existing cities. Why build a brand new city in the desert when you could improve a city at home. I guess my point is homegrown innovation. Develop new models, implement great new ideas and create lasting impact in an area that already exists rather than build it in a far off land. Human centered design for where humans already are and need it.