CO Adaptive Renovates Brooklyn Apartment, Reusing 70% of Materials

CO Adaptive, a design-build practice known for passive houses and low-carbon buildings, has completed a renovation of a 1924 art deco apartment in Brooklyn, New York, reusing 70 percent of its materials. The client, a writer with a degree in Architectural Conservation, sought to strategically reuse as much as possible. The firm, which typically does not work on many apartments, took an archaeological approach, carefully deconstructing the home and cataloging existing materials for reuse. The renovation opened up the kitchen and living room by removing walls and connecting two building shaftways at the center of the unit, creating a more light-filled public space. Ruth Mandl, cofounder and principal of CO Adaptive, noted that the apartment's functional layout was retained but the client desired a brighter communal area. The project balances a pre-mediated vision with discoveries made during disassembly, exemplifying a sustainable renovation model.