Sanders Place: A Benchmark in Adaptive Reuse Architecture by NMBW Architecture Studio

Reimagining Industrial Past through Adaptive Reuse Architecture

Located at the edge of Richmond’s industrial-commercial zone in Australia, Sanders Place by NMBW Architecture Studio exemplifies the transformative power of adaptive reuse architecture. Originally a 1970s two-storey brick factory, this outdated structure has been skillfully converted into a vibrant, energy-positive co-working hub that now interacts seamlessly with its surrounding residential and laneway context.

From Factory to Light-Filled Workspace

The design process focused on reversing the factory’s original introspective character. With minimal existing connection to its surroundings, the building was redesigned to open up to both light and people. Four distinct courtyards—each acting as microclimatic and social hubs—were introduced to bring daylight, ventilation, and natural beauty deep into the heart of the structure. These courtyard insertions provide rich spatial variety and enable connections with passersby and the local community.

Collaboration Driving Sustainability and Innovation

Sanders Place’s design process was deeply collaborative, integrating architecture, landscape, and environmental sustainability from the start. This co-lead approach ensured each decision reinforced the goals of sustainability, human comfort, and spatial generosity. A demolition process as carefully designed as the reconstruction phase enabled the thoughtful reuse of original materials. The team prioritized passive environmental strategies, high thermal performance, and a rooftop solar PV system that helps the building generate its own energy.

Integrating Nature and Community in the Urban Fabric

The central courtyard features planting that thrives in interior, unconditioned spaces, while external courtyards create distinct atmospheres—one even includes a working kitchen garden. These green insertions are not mere decorative elements; they play an essential role in thermal comfort, air quality, and occupant well-being. Double-height voids carved into the existing concrete slabs allow gardens to grow vertically, blurring the boundaries between architecture and landscape.

Material Recovery as Creative Practice

A key feature of Sanders Place’s adaptive reuse architecture is the creative transformation of reclaimed materials. Existing Oregon floor joists, salvaged and stored on-site, were transformed by a local woodworker into custom furniture, celebrating the raw, “as-found” texture of the material. These tactile pieces serve both functional and symbolic roles, reminding occupants of the building’s layered history while grounding the interiors in material honesty.

Building a Healthy, Responsive Future

Wrapped in an airtight membrane, the reused structure now performs like a new, energy-efficient shell. Heat recovery ventilation systems and passive cooling through cross-breezes reduce reliance on mechanical systems. The open plan is punctuated by voids, skylights, and timber interventions that allow the user to experience the rhythm of changing daylight and the passage of time.

Sanders Place is a living model of how adaptive reuse can contribute meaningfully to sustainable development, community well-being, and architectural innovation. It stands as a critical response to climate-conscious construction and an exemplary co-working typology rooted in care, reuse, and collective experience.

All Photographs are works of Peter Bennetts