CEBRA strengthens adaptive reuse efforts: “It’s an exciting design opportunity"

Since summer, Head of Transformation and Conservation, Stina Jensen, has worked on CEBRA’s ongoing adaptive reuse projects, such as Willemoesgade and a 13,000 m² transformation in Aarhus. CEBRA’s completed transformation projects include the Experimentarium in Copenhagen, New Skenderbeu Stadium in Korca, as well as Al Hosn and The Cultural Foundation Building in Abu Dhabi.

Stina Jensen joins the team with great academic and practical experience in architectural transformation. She holds a PhD about social value creation in sustainable transformations from Aarhus University. Moreover, she has authored and co-authored several academic publications on adaptive reuse as a catalyst for social and environmental impact. Stina has over 10 years of experience and has worked in both Denmark and Norway during her time at AART and Nordic Office of Architecture. Among other projects, she has been part of AART’s transformation of the Municipality Hospital in Aarhus. Stina holds an MSc in Engineering (Architecture and Design) from Aalborg University.

“With Stina, we aim to shift our operations to focus more on adaptive reuse. We are expecting a significantly higher demand than previously, following the momentum of the Reduction Roadmap movement and low-emission construction,” says partner Mikkel Schlesinger.

Creating new experiences

“The more we utilise existing built square meters and unlock their hidden value, the less people will see the need for new construction. It’s an exciting design opportunity that holds the key to significantly reducing environmental impact within a critical timeframe,” says Stina Jensen.

“Existing buildings often hold significant experiential potential – even those that might initially seem like ‘ugly ducklings.’ We need to bring these potentials and qualities to light and avoid unnecessary use of resources. This is crucial to changing the perception among collaborators and users that new construction holds greater value than existing buildings,” she adds.

For instance, the rental apartments at Willemoesgade in Aarhus are already leased before the building is completed, illustrating a strong demand for alternatives to new construction. Transformation can indeed achieve more than simply meeting users’ immediate needs.

“I believe it’s largely about supporting the quality and history inherent in a building. The Willemoesgade project is a good example of the broad range of tools available when working with what already exists. The project spans local planning and preservation to reused materials and extensions, offering a wealth of context to explore,” Stina Jensen explains.

An integrated effort

“We’ve worked with adaptive reuse at the studio for many years. Stina’s role is to strategically connect the many competencies and dedicated architects to achieve synergies across the board,” Mikkel Schlesinger explains.

Existing buildings often hold significant experiential potential – even those that might initially seem like ‘ugly ducklings.’ We need to bring these potentials and qualities to light and avoid unnecessary use of resources. This is crucial to changing the perception among collaborators and users that new construction holds greater value than existing buildings.

Stina Jensen, Head of Transformation and Conservation, CEBRA

Stina Jensen leads this effort in close collaboration with partner Mikkel Schlesinger and associate partner Rasmus Kruse, who is completing a master’s degree in building culture with a focus on sustainability, strategy, and adaptive reuse in the coming year. The work will take place in close cooperation with CEBRA’s sustainability team as an integrated part of the projects.

“Stina leads our adaptive reuse efforts with deep insight into conservation and the transformation of geometry and usage. She brings a specialised understanding of the interplay between social value creation, cultural heritage, and circularity in adaptive reuse projects,” says Mikkel.

Making the most of existing resources

“Adaptive reuse projects play a significant role in reducing climate impact and resource use because we adapt buildings for new uses rather than demolishing and building anew. This allows us to retain the embedded CO₂ on-site and reduces the need for extracting new materials,” says Stina Jensen.

In cases where demolition is necessary, the transformation effort must, among other things, help ensure that the building is approached circularly – as a resource bank for future projects. Stina will also play an important role in discussing with clients how to maximise using existing resources.

Stina leads our adaptive reuse efforts with deep insight into conservation and the transformation of geometry and usage. She brings a specialised understanding of the interplay between social value creation, cultural heritage, and circularity in adaptive reuse projects.

Mikkel Schlesinger, Partner, CEBRA

“As Head of Transformation and Conservation, Stina plays an essential role in engaging in these dialogues, and she will also take part in presenting the qualities of our adaptive reuse projects externally,” says Mikkel Schlesinger.

The industry is ready

The Reduction Roadmap 2.0 initiative and campaign have emphasised that more than 630 stakeholders in the Danish construction value chain – from developers to municipalities, contractors, and manufacturers – were committed to complying with the Paris Agreement goals rapidly if the building legislation was aligned by 2025.

Based on the latest research, the most recent publication from the Reduction Roadmap, ‘Beyond the Roadmap’, outlines how construction projects must transition to regenerating resources and meet all nine planetary boundaries before the CO₂-eq budget is exhausted in 2030. A natural part of aligning with the planetary boundaries – going beyond merely CO₂-eq reduction – in the future involves building less and better utilising the square meters already built.