As cities evolve, preserving the character of historical buildings has become an urgent challenge in global urban development. A new study by architectural designer Jingyuan Huang, published in the International Journal of Humanities and Social Science (Vol. 1, No. 1, 2025), introduces adaptive reuse frameworks that bridge modernization and cultural continuity in heritage preservation.
The research highlights the cultural and developmental value of historic structures. Historical buildings act as carriers of collective memory and cultural identity. Their preservation allows the coexistence of history and modernity, ensuring that heritage continues to shape the urban landscape. Through adaptive reuse, historical architecture becomes active spaces that accommodate new functions while maintaining authenticity. This process sustains cultural narratives and promotes rational resource use and sustainable urban growth.
The research identifies technologies that enable renewal within heritage protection. Structural reinforcement methods such as reinforced concrete, steel, and carbon fiber composites improve seismic performance and stability while retaining original materials. Energy-saving measures, including insulation of walls, roofs, and windows, address the low efficiency of historic buildings. Intelligent management systems, 3D laser scanning, and Building Information Modeling (BIM) enhance monitoring, documentation, and lifecycle management. These strategies integrate preservation and innovation, ensuring modernization remains compatible with historical integrity.
The findings reveal a design methodology encompassing function positioning, spatial layout, material selection, and environmental integration. Aligning new uses with structural and cultural characteristics minimizes intervention and maintains authenticity. Case studies, such as Grand Central Terminal in New York and Tate Modern in London, demonstrate how historic structures can be revitalized without compromising their essence. The transformation of Millennium Park in Chicago illustrates the fusion of heritage architecture with modern landscape design, fostering public engagement and cultural exchange.
According to the journal, Huang’s professional experience spans institutional and cultural projects such as the Brooklyn Public Library’s Canarsie Branch, Gates Foundation’s Interior Renovation, and Library of Congress’s Welcome Gallery. The publication notes that her design work has been internationally recognized, including the 2025 New York Architecture Awards Silver, the 2025 Muse Design Awards Silver, and the 2024 Global Future Design Awards Gold. At Studio Joseph, she contributed to coordinated design delivery from schematic through construction documentation using BIM-based workflows. Her prior experience includes work at Payette in Boston, BIG in New York, OMA/AMO in Rotterdam, Gensler in Los Angeles, and Junya. Ishigami+Associates in Tokyo.
The article concludes that Huang’s study offers a valuable framework for sustainable heritage preservation. According to the editors, her research positions adaptive reuse as a dynamic process that revitalizes cultural heritage for contemporary urban contexts and has attracted growing attention in architectural research circles.