ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the next subsequent chapter. The part discusses challenge of adaptive design when there is uncertainty about future activities. It reviews the pros and cons of changing from an established activity setting to one that offers potential benefits but also risks. The part presents the adaptation of existing institutional buildings for evolving requirements, specifically that of museums. It shows how a comprehensive analysis of current requirements has led to a new masterplan to support on-going change, including the adaptation of inherited buildings. The part proposes that investigating the performance in use of facilities is a way of guiding adaptive improvements. It focuses on the conventions that sustain the harmonious use of multi-activity environments. The part describes a diagnostic post-occupancy evaluation of the emergency department in Kentucky University Hospital, which opened in 2010.
