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Introduction
Adaptation projects constitute a large percentage of work carried out by the construction industry in the UK. The range of building intervention classed under building adaptation include; Refurbishment: upgrading the aesthetic and functional performance of a building ([13] Douglas, 2006), Rehabilitation: modernisation with some extension work which may comprise major structural alteration to the existing building; mostly housing ([13] Douglas, 2006), Maintenance: work undertaken in order to keep, restore or improve every part of a building, its services and surrounds, to a currently accepted standard, and to sustain the utility and value of the building ([37] Seeley, 1987), Retrofit or renovation: a process undertaken if the building is in a good condition but the services and technology within it are outdated ([25] Langston et al. , 2007), as well as adaptive reuse which occurs when a building is converted to accommodate new functions, e.g. an industrial building converted into apartments.
"Hybrid projects" is a phrase, used for the benefit of this research, to define a type of adaptation project where new elements or buildings are combined with existing buildings to completely modify it in order to provide better functionality and meet increased spatial requirements. It is the adaptation of an existing building through a combination of refurbishment, rehabilitation and adaptive reuse. A hybrid project process can therefore be defined as the organised structure with which a hybrid building is delivered. This process will include procurement, design and construction activities. This research focused predominantly on the design stages of this process.
In contrast with new building; design, planning and construction within existing built contexts necessitates a more complex interaction with the existing building substance, ancillary infrastructure and their respective spatial requirements. Adapting an existing building could therefore present a number of difficulties, e.g. spatial constraints, code compliance and disruptions to building use. The key challenge is to achieve value at the end of the works, and not to lose value. [1] Addy (2004) observed that loss of value occurs when briefs give no flexibility to the design team, inappropriately high quality standards, and delays in decisions perhaps due to poor information supply and unmanaged change. In addition to process issues, people factors can include: poor communication as well as conflicting agendas, fixed mindsets, recycling old...