Historical buildings and sites are examples of architectural heritage whose preservation and restoration are of great value for future generations. Most of these buildings have lost their original function over time and have gradually become abandoned. One way to preserve and restore these buildings is to apply adaptive reuse, which can both change the function of the building and make it adaptable and coordinated based on new needs. For this reason, the preservation and restoration of these historical buildings is of particular importance. One group of these buildings that have a high capacity for adaptation and functionality are the stunning castles scattered throughout the European continent. The aim of the above research is to examine the methods of the adaptive reuse approach in nine iconic and historically valuable castles in Europe, each of which has been redesigned and restored with an adaptive reuse approach. These interventions have been carried out at three levels: the incorporation of new materials, the incorporation of new architectural elements, and the incorporation of new spaces. The approach of this research is qualitative and its strategy is analytical-comparative. The case studies were selected based on three criteria: a- the researchers’ access to design documents including maps, castle images, technical documentation, and castle analytical reports; b- the time of castle redesign is after 2000 AD; c- the significance of new interventions and additions while preserving the castle’s historical structure. The results show that from the study of historic castles in Europe, it can be said that for successful castle redesign with an adaptive reuse approach, focusing on new architectural elements and new materials is the most common in restoration and reconstruction projects, and the addition of new spaces is in the next order. Overall, the findings indicate that adaptive reuse, beyond a mere conservation approach, is a design strategy that can, through deliberate interventions at the three levels of space, element, and material, enable the coexistence of past and present times and transform historical monuments into dynamic platforms for cultural and social experience in contemporary times.

Keywords: Adaptive Reuse, European Castles, New Spaces, New Materials, New Architectural Elements.

     

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