ABSTRACT
The reuse of existing buildings is a promising strategy to reduce our environmental impact, with current models of adaptability emphasizing the preservation of a building’s most robust layers for their material and carbon savings. However, these models often overlook the topological system, i.e. how spaces are limited and connected, which significantly impacts a building’s capacity for change. This paper presents an approach for the architectural modelling of circulation layouts by developing a method to systematically represent the complexity of topological configurations. We explore the synergy between the circulation and (1) the social setting it fosters, (2) its spatial setting, and (3) its physical or material constitution. Using three conversion case studies, we discuss how targeted topological adjustments can drive functional change in a building with minimal structural interventions. Our proposed methodology refines existing topological modelling practices, highlighting key architectural qualities of topology, to ultimately help advance digital graph models with more accurate depictions of circulation. We conclude that topological analysis helps reveal key factors in circulation layouts that contribute to long-lasting buildings.
