Top 8 Facadist Renovations, from Melbourne to Bucharest

Facadism is often criticized for its awkward juxtapositions, but here are eight of the nicest facadist renovations from around the world, according to Stephen Smith.

1 minute read

February 4, 2012, 9:00 AM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Whether you regard facadism (the act of retaining old building facades, while replacing other portions of a historic building with new construction) as a pejorative or a positive, there is no question that architects around the world are creating interesting mash-ups (or Frankensteins) of historic and contemporary buildings.

According to Smith, "The style is often reviled by architects and design critics as only a superficially preservation of the past, and many facadist buildings are rightly criticized for their random juxtapositions and out-of-scale pieces. The style aims to strike a balance between redevelopment pressures and architectural preservation, and while developers are often pleased with the sky-high rents they can charge for rehabilitated historical structures, preservationists are often left satisfied with the small sliver left behind."

I'm not sure if this counts, but for a ninth example, I would add a personal favorite, the Porter House in Manhattan by SHoP Architects.

Thanks to Stephen Smith

Friday, February 3, 2012 in International Business Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Aerial view of viaduct under construction for California High-Speed Rail.

DOT Officially Cancels California High-Speed Rail Funding

The Trump administration has repeatedly taken aim at the LA-to-Bay Area rail project, blaming Democratic leaders for cost overruns and delays.

2 minutes ago - Streetsblog California

Orange "Apartments Leasing" sandwich board sign on sidewalk with arrow pointing right.

Legislators Push Back Against ‘Rent-Setting’ Software

In the last six months, lawmakers in more than two dozen cities and states have made strides to stop landlords from using anti-competitive rental software to determine how much to charge for rent. Shelterforce looks at the wins and losses so far.

2 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine

Orange and black heavy equipment and workers building new asphalt roadway.

DOT Awards 77% of BUILD Grants to Road Projects

Trump’s DOT is directing 87 percent of total grant dollars to states that backed the President in the last election.

4 hours ago - Streetsblog USA