Marc Kristal's 'The New Old House' explores the melding of old and new

Longbranch, by Jim Olson of Olson Kundig, Washington State.

(Image credit: Kevin Scott)

last updated 4 August 2022

Every now and again, someone from the architecture and building industry stands up and says something worthy and meaningful about how adaptation, reuse, restoration and upgrading existing buildings is of far greater importance than building anew. Unfortunately, nothing captures the imagination more than a shiny new building, so proponents of innovation restorations are often left trailing in the wake of novelty.

Marc Kristal hopes to change all that with The New Old House. An international survey of adaptive re-use, the book looks at 18 case studies where renewal has included a major new built component, sitting alongside the old to make a sharp and shapely juxtaposition. Covering everything from ancient British industrial architecture to new takes on the NY townhouse, these are strikingly different projects with a shared ethos at their heart. Renovation, it seems, need place no limits on formal and material innovation, and as the many photographs ably demonstrate, the combination of old and new enhances the patina and texture of these new residences.

*The garden facade of Collage House, London, by Jonathan Tuckey.*

Kristal’s book also goes far beyond the average coffee table tome, in that project descriptions are rich with insider insight and a genuine interest in the history and processes that shaped each project. With buildings like Witherford Watson Mann's award-winning conversion of Astley Castle in Warwickshire and Acme's striking Hunsett Mill project, that history might go back several centuries.

Crucially, we’re also treated to a welcome number of before and after images (as well as the all-important floor plans), which in many cases reveal these projects to be much, much more than mere extensions. Instead, they're often about returning architectural fragments to a restored, historically suitable state, while new components slot in and alongside. The New Old House is a very welcome insight into a strand of architecture that deserves far more than second tier status.

WT Architecture's The White House on the Scottish island of Coll — WT Architecture's The White House, in its spectacular setting on the Scottish island of Coll

Jim Olson's Longbranch House, Washington State.

Corbusier-inspired concrete skylights at Casa Delpin, Puerto Rico, by Nataniel Fuster.

Found Associates' award-winning Cotswolds residence, UK.

INFORMATION
The New Old House: Historic & Modern Architecture Combined, £40, published by Abrams & Chronicle, £40. For more information, visit the website

Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.