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

$30

Architect$30

Member Price

$45

Non-member Price

Description

Tuesday, December 9, 2025 | 3-4pm EST

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

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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.

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Design mixed-use solutions that integrate residential units with existing commercial properties to enhance community diversity, promote walkability, and create pedestrian-friendly neighborhood networks.

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Evaluate sustainability benefits of adaptive reuse projects, including environmental impact reduction, resource conservation, and lifecycle extension compared to new construction alternatives.

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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).

Instructors

Karin Liljegren

FAIA

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.

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