What Is the Meaning of Adaptability in the Building Industry?

In an age of sustainability focussed on the short term of carbon reduction, it is important that we maintain an understanding of the broader characteristics which make places sustainable over the longevity of time. Adaptability as a design characteristic embodies spatial, structural, and service strategies which allow the physical artefact a level of malleability in response to changing operational parameters over time. This paper starts by reviewing definitions of adaptability in the literature and sets forth a holistic definition, coalescing essential characteristics through a critical analysis. The following two sections contextualize the conversation about adaptability through two distinct approaches for achieving it along with its current perception. Subsequently, the paper subdivides adaptability into a set of strategies which provide a comprehensive resolution for describing the different types of changes a building may be forced to endure. The last segment then examines the relationship between the Open Building movement and our findings regarding adaptability. We conclude with some provocations towards the open building movement and industry shifting towards a more sustainable and time-based approach to design.