Office to Home Conversions: Adaptive Reuse in Suburban Markets
AIAU25-RUDC01
            
                 Included in subscription
                
                    1
                    LU|HSW
                
            
            
            
                Live course date: 12/09/2025 | 03:00 PM
                Included in subscription
                
                    1
                    LU|HSW
                
            
            
            
                Live course date: 12/09/2025 | 03:00 PM
            
        
Description
Tuesday, December 9, 2025 | 3-4pm ET
As remote work transforms the commercial real estate landscape, architects face unprecedented opportunities to address the affordable housing crisis through innovative adaptive reuse strategies. This course explores how underutilized office buildings in suburban markets can be transformed into vibrant residential communities. Our expert panel will examine current office vacancy trends and their implications for conversion opportunities, while diving deep into practical design strategies that navigate stringent zoning challenges and building code adaptations essential for structural health and safety. Participants will discover the complexities of adapting essential infrastructure, particularly the requirements for updating mechanical, electric, and plumbing systems to ensure adequate sanitation. These design challenges also include addressing issues such as the potential need for seismic retrofits in certain areas and determining the usability of existing structures, such as existing circulation and floor slabs. Beyond addressing housing shortages, these conversions offer substantial environmental benefits by extending building lifecycles and reducing construction waste. Join us to explore cutting-edge approaches that transform vacant commercial spaces into thriving residential neighborhoods while supporting sustainable development goals.
Learning Objectives
Analyze current office market dynamics and identify viable conversion opportunities based on vacancy rates, structural characteristics (e.g., assessing the utility of existing circulation and non-modified slabs), and shifting workplace patterns in suburban markets.
Design mixed-use solutions that integrate residential units with existing commercial properties to enhance community diversity, promote walkability, and create pedestrian-friendly neighborhood networks.
Evaluate sustainability benefits of adaptive reuse projects, including environmental impact reduction, resource conservation, and lifecycle extension compared to new construction alternatives.
Develop comprehensive conversion strategies that ensure structural health, safety, and welfare (HSW) by addressing zoning modifications, building code compliance for residential occupancy, including the need for specialized adaptations like seismic retrofits, and the successful integration of modified mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems necessary for residential sanitation.
Presented in partnership with the Regional and Urban Design Committee (RUDC).

 
                    Joseph Ahmadi, AIA, is the founding principal of J&N Arch Studio and a licensed architect in over 15 states, specializing in urban design, master planning, and adaptive reuse. His work spans multifamily, student housing, and active-adult communities, with a consistent focus on integrating design with development realities. Joseph’s background also includes advanced academic research on the emotional and spatial dimensions of place attachment, which informs his commitment to creating meaningful, connected urban environments.
 
                    Ali Anbari, Ph.D., is a senior project manager at IMEG, specializing in mechanical engineering and building systems design for new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse projects. He has contributed to numerous office-to-residential conversion projects, where success relies on resolving complex infrastructure challenges, including optimizing dry and wet utility distribution, integrating decentralized HVAC and metering systems, and coordinating multidisciplinary design teams to meet code and performance standards.
Dr. Anbari brings a foundation in building science and research to his work, combining analytical rigor with constructability awareness. His expertise supports multidisciplinary efforts to effectively transform underutilized commercial assets into high-performance residential environments. He has led projects that balance energy efficiency, code compliance, and practical implementation, supporting architects, structural engineers, and other MEP professionals to deliver coordinated, resilient, and sustainable building systems.
 
                    Karin has dedicated her career to community building, sustainability, and advocacy by embracing adaptive reuse as a powerful means to revitalize our cities. For over 25 years, Karin has focused on adaptive reuse projects and advocates for policy reform to make the repurposing of older buildings more financially viable and cornerstones of their communities.
In 2009, she founded Omgivning Architecture and Interiors, a firm known for uncovering the potential in underutilized buildings. Omgivning transforms these buildings to a wide range of new uses—including multifamily housing, hotels, restaurants, event venues, and workspaces—from a small cafe up to a  two-million-square-foot historic high-rise.
A leader in advocacy, Karin combines hands-on experience with a practical yet visionary approach. Her ability to see all perspectives has helped shape local planning policies and drive reforms in building and fire codes for more than two decades and has led her to be a State and National thought leader.
Karin holds a MArch from UCLA.
 
                    Upendra Poudel is a Principal at EM Structural, based in the Firm's Arlington, VA office. With over two and a half decades of experience, he has led projects across multifamily, hospitality, higher education, senior living, federal facilities, and adaptive reuse and repositioning. Upendra brings authoritative expertise in structural systems, including cast-in-place and post-tensioned concrete, structural steel, timber, and masonry. He has designed buildings to meet rigorous seismic and wind performance standards. His collaborative style and commitment to resilient, efficient, and architecturally integrated solutions make him a valued partner to design teams and clients alike. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Alabama, Maryland, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, DC, and holds NCEES record registration. Upendra holds membership with the American Society of Civil Engineers, American Institute of Steel Construction, and the Structural Engineers Association of Metropolitan Washington.