ARCHI City of Adelaide’s Adaptive Reuse City Housing Initiative
Design Feature
Type of project
Policy and program
State
South Australia
Location
Urban
The City of Adelaide’s Adaptive Reuse City Housing Initiative (ARCHI), developed in partnership with the State Government of South Australia, aims to unlock housing potential within vacant and underutilised buildings.
By repurposing existing assets, ARCHI helps deliver housing that is timely, sustainable, and cost effective, while respecting heritage, character, and local context, strengthening the liveability and climate resilience of Adelaide.
By repurposing existing assets, ARCHI helps deliver housing that is timely, sustainable, and cost effective, while respecting heritage, character, and local context, strengthening the liveability and climate resilience of Adelaide.
Project Details:
The City of Adelaide’s 2024–2028 Strategic Plan aims to increase the city’s population to 50,000 by 2036 and create neighbourhoods that are vibrant, sustainable and diverse. To sustain this growth, approximately 1,000 new homes will be required each year, offering a diverse range of housing options to support city living at every stage of life.
Adaptive reuse provides an opportunity to increase housing supply by making better use of existing buildings. This includes converting vacant or underused office buildings, redeveloping heritage buildings, and using underutilised space above shops for housing. Adaptive reuse also supports sustainable urban growth by retaining embodied carbon, reducing construction waste, revitalising heritage assets and accelerating housing delivery.
The City of Adelaide launched ARCHI in July 2024 in partnership with the State Government of South Australia to advance this objective by activating vacant and underutilised buildings for new housing. The program offers practical guidance, case studies, financial incentives, and dedicated case management support, supported by a program of evidence-based research.
Adaptive reuse provides an opportunity to increase housing supply by making better use of existing buildings. This includes converting vacant or underused office buildings, redeveloping heritage buildings, and using underutilised space above shops for housing. Adaptive reuse also supports sustainable urban growth by retaining embodied carbon, reducing construction waste, revitalising heritage assets and accelerating housing delivery.
The City of Adelaide launched ARCHI in July 2024 in partnership with the State Government of South Australia to advance this objective by activating vacant and underutilised buildings for new housing. The program offers practical guidance, case studies, financial incentives, and dedicated case management support, supported by a program of evidence-based research.
A series of ARCHI guides and fact sheets offer insights into the advantages and processes of residential adaptive reuse, along with practical advice for initiating and navigating adaptive reuse projects. This including retrofitting to improve energy efficiency and reduce running costs and the sensitive redevelopment of heritage properties. Local and interstate case studies showcase real-world projects that have converted vacant and underused buildings into new homes.
The ARCHI Incentives Scheme supports building owners through dedicated, free case management and targeted financial incentives that assist with approvals and construction costs. To date, ARCHI has received over 65 enquiries, with ten projects funded delivering 16 dwellings, and five adaptive reuse homes already completed.
ARCHI is grounded in research and cross-sector collaboration, helping to expand knowledge of adaptive reuse across government, the university sector, and built environment professionals. As part of this work, ARCHI has engaged with prospective purchasers and renters to better understand their needs and expectations for city-based housing. A Demand Survey and Discrete Choice Experiment engaged with 511 participants, who provided valuable, detailed insights into the factors influencing their housing choices and the trade-offs they are willing to make.
The findings provide a robust evidence base that reflects real-world preferences. They validate key considerations for adaptive reuse housing and rank these factors in order of importance, ensuring future policy and program decisions are informed by market demand and community needs. Overall, the findings indicate that adaptive reuse has strong potential to meet demand when key resident preferences, such as mobility, private open space, and affordability, are addressed. These insights help shape more targeted and responsive housing solutions.
The ARCHI Incentives Scheme supports building owners through dedicated, free case management and targeted financial incentives that assist with approvals and construction costs. To date, ARCHI has received over 65 enquiries, with ten projects funded delivering 16 dwellings, and five adaptive reuse homes already completed.
ARCHI is grounded in research and cross-sector collaboration, helping to expand knowledge of adaptive reuse across government, the university sector, and built environment professionals. As part of this work, ARCHI has engaged with prospective purchasers and renters to better understand their needs and expectations for city-based housing. A Demand Survey and Discrete Choice Experiment engaged with 511 participants, who provided valuable, detailed insights into the factors influencing their housing choices and the trade-offs they are willing to make.
The findings provide a robust evidence base that reflects real-world preferences. They validate key considerations for adaptive reuse housing and rank these factors in order of importance, ensuring future policy and program decisions are informed by market demand and community needs. Overall, the findings indicate that adaptive reuse has strong potential to meet demand when key resident preferences, such as mobility, private open space, and affordability, are addressed. These insights help shape more targeted and responsive housing solutions.
Project Team:
City of Adelaide
State Government of South Australia
State Government of South Australia
Project Cost:
ARCHI is jointly funded by the City of Adelaide and the State Government of South Australia, with an annual incentives scheme funding pool of $250,000 supporting delivery of residential adaptive reuse projects. ARCHI also provides a free adaptive reuse case management service to building owners.
Health Value
Adaptive reuse involves remodelling works that can create healthier indoor environments and support improved occupant health. These works can improve thermal comfort, increase access to natural light, and enable the use of healthier building materials. Key upgrades might include:
Enhancing natural light and ventilation: Improving access to daylight and fresh air supports physical and mental wellbeing. Removing hazardous materials: Eliminating lead paint, asbestos, and other harmful substances reduces health risks. Upgrading heating, cooling, and insulation: Modern systems improve thermal comfort, energy efficiency, and indoor air quality. Improving fire safety: Upgrading systems ensures occupant safety and compliance with regulations. Reducing noise impacts: Acoustic treatments minimise exposure to disruptive sounds. Installing energy-efficient lighting and appliances: Replacing outdated fixtures with LED lighting and efficient appliances lowers energy use, costs, and environmental impact. Water efficiency: Installing water efficient fixtures conserves water and promotes sustainability. Enhancing accessibility: Adding lifts, ramps, handrails, step-free access, and designing spaces for diverse needs fosters inclusivity. Addressing moisture issues: Fixing leaks and moisture issues prevents mould and mildew, protecting occupant health. Healthy materials: Using low VOC and natural materials to improve air quality.
Adaptive reuse also promotes healthy urban living. By situating homes near shops, workplaces, public transport, recreation, and green spaces, residents can walk or cycle for daily activities, reducing reliance on cars and supporting active lifestyles.
Adaptive reuse also promotes healthy urban living. By situating homes near shops, workplaces, public transport, recreation, and green spaces, residents can walk or cycle for daily activities, reducing reliance on cars and supporting active lifestyles.
Economic Value
Adaptive reuse of buildings offers economic benefits for property owners, tenants, and cities:
Generating income from underutilised spaces: Transforming vacant or underused buildings into functional, attractive spaces can create new revenue streams. Cost savings compared to new construction: Repurposing existing structures avoids the high costs associated with demolition and building from scratch. Boosting heritage and tourism value: Adaptive reuse of heritage buildings can enhance the cultural and amenity value of the city, attracting tourists, investment, and contributing to sustainable economic development. Reducing operating costs: Upgrading energy and water efficiency lowers utility bills for owners and tenants. Supporting local economies: Increasing the availability of housing stimulates local businesses by bringing more residents into the city. Enhancing rental income: Well-designed, modernised homes attract and retain quality tenants, often enabling higher rents.
Environmental Value
Adaptive reuse of buildings offers significant environmental benefits by conserving resources, reducing waste, and lowering carbon emissions:Energy savings: Repurposing existing buildings avoids the large amounts of energy required for demolition and new construction, including energy used in producing and transporting new materials. Even when additional construction is needed, the energy required is far less than building a new structure of similar size. Waste reduction and circular economy: Adaptive reuse reduces demolition waste and supports a circular economy. This closed-loop system maximises resource efficiency, retains the value of materials, and prioritises waste avoidance and reduction. Carbon footprint reduction: Improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings reduces carbon emissions associated with heating, cooling, and lighting. Water conservation: Installing water-efficient fixtures and reducing overall water use.
Social Value
Adaptive reuse offers important social benefits by increasing housing supply, activating city spaces, and enhancing community wellbeing:
Creating new housing options: Repurposing existing buildings provides additional homes in central locations close to work, education, and essential services. Activating underutilised spaces: Converting vacant or underused spaces, such as areas above shops and offices, into housing brings more people into the city, enlivening streets and public spaces throughout the day and night. Supporting a safer and vibrant city: Increased occupancy in city areas enhances passive surveillance, supports a night-time economy, and contributes to a safer city environment. Reducing commuting pressures: City-based housing enables people to live closer to work and study opportunities, enhancing convenience, reducing travel times, and encouraging sustainable transport options such as walking and cycling.
Use Value
Adaptive reuse preserves the cultural and historical significance of buildings while giving them a new purpose:
Preserving a sense of place: Historic buildings retain their character and continue to provide a sense of identity for current and future generations Revitalising heritage buildings: Adaptive reuse can save buildings from demolition, connecting communities with the stories of the past and enriching the city’s cultural landscape.
Further Information
Stay informed. Sign up to our newsletter.
I agree that I have read and I accept the Heart Foundation's Privacy Statement.