Once working places, today places of dwelling

With the disruption of former producing plants (factories warehouses, etc) with the introduction of new technologies requesting new spatial framework, with the moving of industries from their former sites to new industrial zones there is an increasing number of buildings left without their original function. These buildings are not only of great material value but they have also recently recognised aesthetic value. Very often because of their position in the town structure they also represent a very important element of town morphology. Until recently there was a danger that despite these recognized values they would be pulled down. But nowdays with their inclusion in the body of protected monuments and thanks to new urban strategies they are often being given new functions and are a proof that by an adequate reuse of this part of our building heritage a quality of life could be essentially impoved. A great number of these former working and production places are being turned into dwellings. After a long period when work and domestic life became increasingly separated, the even longer tradition of people combining their workplaces and their home has now days being resumed and this integration in converted factories and warehouses is now a trend. Demographic and social factors with the relative decline of traditional family units have increased demand for one-bedroom apartments. Frustrations with commuting in big cities and the chic status of living in converted factories with strong images make these conversions worthwhile. This paper would like on the example of recently converted four building of former Vienna Gasworks (Gasometers) analyze the four different approaches of turning these remarkable buildins into new forms of dwelling/working spaces.