Description
Despite the number of older highly vacant office buildings, it is highly unlikely that all or most of them would be financially or structurally fit for housing conversion. In such cases, it doesn’t mean that those buildings would have to be left as they are, but that they could break away from the office-residential dichotomy.
In general, office buildings have a generic design that can be versatile in terms of function that does not include long-term residential purposes. A focus can be placed on facilities that build community, whether for potential new residents, or for all users of the city. Some facilities like community or youth centres, classrooms and day shelters have very similar requirements to offices but could play a part in alleviating social issues by providing a space for people to engage in healthy and interactive activities or encourage lifelong learning.
Other ideas from outside the box would serve more specific functions. Daycares would help a lot more than residents in the area, commuting working parents could also benefit from having their kids cared for near the workplaces. Medical facilities serve all, while short-term offices and laboratories could increase the presence of scientific and small business communities here.