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Revitalizing Abandoned Mills in India The Case

of Tamil Nadu
Isha Peter
Lovely School of Architecture and Design
Lovely Professional University
Jalandhar, India

Abstract-Revitalizing abandoned buildings 1.2 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

contributes to the preserved building's heritage value, while
also providing an opportunity for a new use. On the other • Transform the old Mill Architecture and create
side, art-driven adaptive reuse focuses on a unique type of affordable homes, playgrounds, cafes, green spaces, and
adaptive reuse that promotes art and communal spaces. new ones
Based on the requirements, a representative building is
selected, and a concise proposal for its resurrection is • In a government that controls the economy, create
proposed. In addition, depending on the conditions of the new commercial initiatives.
sample building, this dissertation gives a set of basic rules.
• In line with the re-use of these buildings, public
Keywords- Sustainable techniques, renovate, open grounds open spaces have been built in various recycling areas and
INTRODUCTION integrated new activities that give the public access to a
building that was demarcated in the past and now even after
Countries are constantly evolving with the state it has been abandoned.
Architecture to which they have to respond. Growth,
expansion, social and urban development, as well as new • It should not be a change but a dynamic
development techniques, all present opportunities as a result development that should be made gradually so that people
of transformation. The current trend of textile milling can be part of this process and finally accept it.
development in Tamil Nadu, India's second-largest
economic region, is the subject of my research study. The
idea is to keep the state's ancient fabric intact while 1.3 RESEARCH QUESTION
integrating new growth. What is the modern way of sustainable use of old mills
The textile sector in Tamil Nadu is a forerunner in the left in the new useful buildings?
province's industrial development and job generation. Tamil 1.4.1 PROBLEM-1
Nadu is home to 893 of India's remaining major and medium
mills. The textile industry in the private sector has an Companies build factories to produce goods in bulk.
important role in the industrial sector, in terms of They use them to the fullest extent possible and later, they
employment opportunities, general economic activities, and build new and larger spaces to meet the growing demand.
trade. Industries enable Central and provincial governments Old buildings are often converted into warehouses,
to generate revenue, in addition to foreign exchange. abandoned, or sold outright - the latter often lead to their
demolition to develop new ones, and the cycle continues.
The empty factory buildings can now be found
throughout our area, which is important in architecture. 1.4.2 PROBLEM-2
Industrial buildings and structures are amazing in terms of Existing economic power makes it difficult for mills to
architecture, both in terms of their size and muted continue operating within the city. The textile mills are now
ornaments. available are the most valuable commodities in the city
These walls that wish to tell stories about their history makes them subject to several economic and political forces.
should never be silenced and it is up to us to keep them The buildings were made of basalt gray with a roof tile of
forever. Bangalore that provided strong and durable support

1.1 AIM The industrial area should aim to preserve the memory
of the area, considering that this area should serve as a
The goal of this study is to demonstrate the value of historic site.
repurposing historic structures, which can be used as
obsolete firms, and to renovate them by bringing them into 1.5 LIMITATIONS
the 21st century at the same time, preserving part of the • Research is limited to the construction of a module
memory and their vital contribution to their "life" course. structure, which is not a popular concept in India, so the
"The potential extension of life to buildings and their research conducted will be very international and will be
social and cultural significance" based on information in books and online.

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• Because the study is based on a demolished

structure. There is a scarcity of data on abandoned structure.

1.6 METHODOLOGY -
Tourism
-
Local retailers
• Introduction -
Accommodation
• Data collection -
Renewable Recycling Art Performed by
• Technical data Discarded Spaces
- survey • Community development analysis
- impact analysis - Normal lifestyle improvement
- Reversal instructions - Vendors benefit
- Conditions for selecting a sample structure - Artist recognition
• An economic development analysis
- Artists' money

FLOW CHART OF METHODOLOGY OF WORK

The aim, Scope, and

Objective
Introduction
A brief description
of a
Revitalizing Abandoned Buildings in

List of abandoned
buildings in Tamil Nadu Analysis``
daptive re-use

Data collection Identification of

India

past and present use

Common thread
Identifying
international methods

Literature study on the re-

Case Study use of abandoned buildings

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE STUDY • Textile mills mainly in Coimbatore

• Chemical mills
2.1 INTRODUCTION
• Cassette factories
As a budding architect, I see that abandoned industry
2.3 RECOVERY STRATEGY
buildings could get redeveloped and transformed into
museums, art galleries, or apartments, tourists, artists, and Flexible Re-use:
journalists see the ruins of the industry as a beautiful but sad
reminder of the past. “When some people see ruins, others People have viewed the underdeveloped structure as an
see homes in a state of disrepair.” opportunity to transform it into a functional new building.
Earlier it was known, gentrification. Today it is called
Buildings that were abandoned but not built in the past flexible re-use. It contrasts with the redesign, which is to
were considered modern ruins. They collapsed or collapsed change the facade structure of a building.
or became a place for criminals in society.
Description:
2.2 TYPES OF MILLS ABANDONED IN TAMIL
NADU The process of adapting an abandoned site or
building, for a new use different than for what it was planned
• Tamil Nadu's first wind energy plant now lies is known as flexible re-use. It depicts the relationship
abandoned. between preservation and annihilation. Instead of

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demolishing the building, this approach allows for the Most constructions will change throughout time;
development and use of a culturally and historically valuable nevertheless, those alterations that have historical
edifice. importance must be conserved and protected. Chemical or
physical treatments that harm historical objects, such as
2.4 Interior's Restoration Standards are a set of
sandblasting, should be avoided unless essential. If
guidelines developed by the Secretary of the Interior
necessary, buildings should be over-cleaned using the most
Dept., India
adaptable means possible. The project's impact on important
The building needs to be used for its historical purpose archaeological resources must be protected and conserved.
or to be relocated which requires minimal changes in the Recovery steps will be implemented if such resources are
main features of the building and its surroundings. affected.
The building's historical context must be preserved and
protected. It is wise to avoid eliminating historical items or
changing features and areas that represent the structure.
2.5 MATERIX OF POTENTIAL BUILDINGS IN TAMIL NADU
S Name Past use Present use Structural Defects Date of Lock & Source
Seal
. Sr condition
n
No.
o.

1 Tmt.Uma Steel industry abandoned Good , minor 17.09.2021 www.cmdachenn

Gopalakrishnan & ai.gov.in
1 Others, Kilpauk, Structurally stable
1 Chennai
1
2 1 Palani,M/s Arumugam Commercial building Biennale Bad , major Major 24.02.2010 www.cmdachenn
2Enterpriswes (P) Ltd., venues damaged
ai.gov.in
Chromepet’ Chennai
2
3 Tamil Nadu Chromates Abandoned Good , stable minor 2007 www.cmdachenn
3 and Chemicals ai.gov.in
Limited (TCCL) Chlorine Industry
3
factory, Ranipet `

4 Unknown, Comboitore Rice unknown Good , stable minor 2004 www.cmdachenn

4 storage
ai.gov.in
4
555 Kamal Abdul Khader, Tea godown Good , stable minor 19.09.2009 www.cmdachenn
Special
5 Anna Nagar ai.gov.in
building-
5 commercial

7 Lodge abandoned Partially major 07.11.2012 www.cmdachenn

K.Karuna,
Building ai.gov.in
stable
6 T. Nagar, (Commercial)
6 Chennai
6

CHAPTER 3: CASE STUDY

There are certain parameters identified for conducting Whether the intervention was successful at the levels or has
the model study. These studies have been done based on the caused loss to the society. Economic development, cultural
typology of the building, Reason for rejection, and cohesion, physical fitness or infrastructure
community rehabilitation due to new interventions.

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Selection of sample
buildings
Merits and
Indian
demerits
Case context SAMPLE Application
Studies BUILDINGS BASED of suitable
Internation People and ON GIVEN techniques
al context sectors CRITERIA adopted from
benefitted case study
3.1 CASE STUDY RESEARCH
Discarded buildings used for galleries and art large, new entrance yard and a state-of-the-art cafe have an
installations around the world are as follows: impact on road conditions and the urban environment.
• Flourmill Studios The new rotating line begins at the road's front and
proceeds to a central course with an elevator, stairs, and
• Highline Park - New York
utensils, and an east-west circulation spine connecting
• Pepper House, India
Therefore, there are two international and one national
case study done by me
3.1.1 FLOURMILL STUDIOS

portions with varying levels. This modified system involves

opening up each floor and constructing internal corridors.
Flourmill Studios near the paved courtyard.
INTRODUCTION
Flourmill Studios is a commercial development of 47
strata studios in nineteenth-century Crago Flour Mill in OPPORTUNITIES
Newtown, Sydney, with common spaces and cafes. In an The flour mill - itself serves as an opportunity. Structure
area with a clear industrial heritage, the flour mill is adjacent of thick logs and beams, along with metal tools and residual
to the railway line and near to the station. Small creative equipment.
firms can rent studio space at a decent cost in this
development. They can be a desirable employer in the target market. It
is smarter small businesses, responsive to the beauty of the
green industry and the inner city. It is smarter small
HISTORY AND HERITAGE HISTORY businesses, responsive to the beauty of the green industry
and the inner city.
By the time the mill has been closed, most of the
machinery is removed, but the large mill, hopper and wheel NATURAL STEPS
drive, and lifting equipment are still left behind. The The carpets are made of recycled pet bottles. The thermal
buildings are used for storage, a dancing school, and artist mounted roofs have a great sustainable approach. Open
and artist studios. The mill was crumbling spaces on four comfortable windows for fresh air and active skylights and
buildings when the developer bought it, with little access roof windows. Solar panels on the roof supply major
from one part to another and no obvious entry. In many electricity. Rainwater is collected from the roof to conserve
ways, it violated the Australian Building Code, particularly space while also preserving it from moisture. Ultimately,
in terms of fire and safety. The Crago Flour Mill is on reusing existing building materials and structures helps to
Marrickville Council's local historical registry. reduce economic waste and increase sustainability
VARIABLE RE-USE
THE WAY AND THE EFFECT Maintains a strong wood, concrete, and steel structure; a
The adjustment was intended to keep the digestive timber loading depot; and metal-clad fire doors (now painted
system active during re-use while measuring rotation. A in bright red). The rest of the apparatus, which includes huge
hoppers, driveshafts, wheels, and belts within the studio

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grounds, as well as a three-story pulley shaft mounted on a • Develop a sense of length by designing to experience
large rotating shaft, is protected by fire-retardant glass different lengths of time in the pedestrian space.
panels. Unnecessary detection has been deleted. It revealed
• They had a careful sense of size and scale while
the structure's true nature, produced the perspective, and
designing the visual space.
enhanced the levels of natural light within. Internal
partitions were removed, restoring the original volumes' • By using of 201 plant species were incorporated into
spaces. building materials to give various impacts- wild, cultivated,
close, and social habitats
DESIGN FEATURES
DESIGN
At Outside, the new balconies with a metal frame to the
south and west. Restored timber windows and loading bay This proposal includes more than a dozen access points
doors. Heritage bricks with blocked windows were reopened to the main park. Whatever entry point is made, the
for better ventilation. New ground-breaking entrance yard important part will attract users to spend time exploring the
with original metal structure and loading area entire park.
Exposed wood or steel beams and columns in their usual
location. The first floor is made out of a combination of
wood and polished concrete. Each level's kitchen shared
balconies. Equipment replacement, slick fire doors, and
interpretation signboards.
At Estudio, Paint solid entry doors with glazed
aluminum side panels. Studios recycle floor carpet and
concrete finish. Fluorescent lighting suspended through the FEATURES
exposed cable system PAVEMENT
3.1.2 HIGHLINE PARK, New York Encouraged by a wild area with seed left over after the
lines were discarded, the team is developing a paving system
that promotes natural growth that creates a ‘no-frills’
environment. Agri-tecture strategy - agricultural part,
structural part –
SEATS
INTRODUCTION Peel-up technology is utilized to keep the chairs in order.
Highline Park, also spelled Highline Park, is 1.45-mile- TRAIN TRACKS
long Line Park. The top line has been redesigned and planted
as a green area and rails to trail park, promoted by the Before the new Upper Line location became operational,
Promenade planted near Paris. The Highline proves that a every aspect of the structure was inspected and maintained
specific site reusable site is a fully functional one that to ensure structural strength. The pieces of the train were
combines both flexibility and continuity. been removed. It was marked and mapped for later
restoration to its original position as a compact plant plot.
REASONS FOR DISMISSAL
LIGHT
Trains were built in the 30s and used until the '80s. It was
discontinued for nearly 25 years until the rehabilitation work Energy-saving LED lights gradually illuminate the
began, at that time one-half of the tracks were cut off. Diller park's walkways, allowing the eyes to acclimate to the
Scofidio + Renfro is the architect behind the Highline ambient light of the metropolitan sky. The subway is
project. It is a design office of various components, which illuminated by the lights built beneath the High Line.
has a visionary effect of the combinations of landscapes, LOCATION
functions, and building materials in this work.
In the large garden, the soil was brought in and
APPROACH distributed to some places. A crew of horticulturalists
The program aims to restore the abandoned railway planted over a hundred plant species chosen from the east
building to revitalize the neighbourhood and build a coast to meet the architects' plans.
community park. 3.1.3. PEPPER HOUSE, Kochi
From 2009 to 2015, it was completed in three stages. The INTRODUCTION
final phase, in which roads were built, was finished last year.
Pepper House is a marine historical site on Kalvathi
OBJECTIVES Road, which connects Fort Kochi and Bazar Road. The
• Integrating the environment with building materials building contains two historic ‘godown’ (an Indian word
and greenery as a major of the experience.

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meaning storage area next to the booth), one facing the road creates the appearance of an ancient rustic building. Build
and the other facing the water. after flexible reuse currently has mixed-use (library, design
store, cafe, biennale location) under private ownership. The
The two-story clay roof are separated by a large
building has good stability and has minor flaws, such as the
courtyard, which was once used for storage and is now used
demolition of the wooden floor. Additional changes include
as a courtyard cafe, gallery, art studio, and event space to
repaired roof, floor material replacement, paint, and
create a multi-purpose space to manage and promote year-
additional steel beams for stability.
round visual arts in Kochi
3.2 Analysis
BUILD BEFORE FLEXIBLE REUSE
Finding the common thread
The structure contains a central courtyard with seating
on all sides. The centre yard was used for pepper loading, The examples of studies were selected based on what
unloading, and drying. Two levels were constructed on each they were all connected with the industrial era and located
of the three sides, with one floor on the third story. For the in cities of great importance for development and trade.
construction, laterite, woods, stones, and glasses were They are located in industrial areas but have lost their value
employed. It is supported by wooden columns and has a as technology advanced. These three frameworks went
smooth traditional hardwood roof with Mangalore tiles. through stages of abandonment where some informal
renewal efforts keep them busy for a short time. It is evident
Build for reusability. Private ownership currently owns
in each study as a manifestation of structural changes or
a mixed-use building (library, design store, cafe, biennale
remodelling scars. So, it is concluded, that people would be
venue).
better off associating well-constructed buildings with cloth
The ramp from the street begins with a step that provides than buildings that adhere to the same thumb.
easy access to the wheelchair in the building. The library and
VIEWING
cafe's layout encourages people to spend more time inside
the building. Artists from all over the world who could come The three primary heads can be subjected to a final
and run their classes were one of its best venues to design as examination:
- sociocultural
- economics
- Physical/infrastructure

workshops. Your yard plan adds fresh air and lighting to all
display halls. Planting with mountains stretched on the wall

Case study Sociocultural Economic infrastructural

Flourmill studio -New jobs for artists and performers Value of land increased -Addition of structural elements
Sydney -People began viewing art as a to make the building stronger
real-time job -Introduction of new character
Highline park The number of community places was -Small businesses increased Old rail tracks were removed, and a
New York increased, and as a result, the quality of life -Land value increased contextually appropriate park was created.
rose significantly.
Kochi Biennale -Community space increased -Small vendors were benefitted -Old structures were mildly retrofitted,
-A sense of third-place instilled -Homestays were benefitted and structural components were installed
-No elite were participatory -Restaurants made income where necessary.
-A cleaner city -Transportation was modified for -Weeds and other menaces were
Less public menace like drugs etc better effectively removed

Based on the course analysis, a sample structure in the same location was chosen, and efforts were made to propose
suggestions for the building's rehabilitation.

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CHAPTER 4: LIVE RESEARCH

Tamil Nadu Chromates and Chemicals Limited (TCCL)
factory
Since the Tamil Nadu Chromates and Chemicals Limited
(TCCL) facility was closed in 1995, a lot of water has
flowed down the Palar, but little has been done about the
2.27 lakh tonnes of chromium sludge that accumulated
on its grounds.
Building selection criteria:
• Has rich cultural significance and historic evidence
linked to the building which makes it a potential property
for conservation and reuse.
• The building is not intact, and additional deterioration
can be avoided if properly cared for. Figure 46 interiors: suitablefor large gallery
space
• Continuous maintenance is required; thus, it should be
changed into something that has regular activity taking
place in it.
4.1 LOCATION
RANIPET: More than 25 years after a factory's shutters were
withdrawn, chromium sludge left behind contaminated
groundwater. While a plan to discard hazardous garbage
and cleanse water accumulates dust, officials are
concerned about how to pay for the cleanup.
Figure 47 sketch of modified interior:
• Structures with considerable damage can be
Terracotta flooring, interior painted white and boards
reconstructed using the same materials as before. installed for hanging art works. Sufficient lighting etc.
• If
• Exposed timber or steel beams and columns can be
mending is not possible, damaged or degraded elements
utilized for this
may be replaced or even reconstructed.
• Reuse of existing building materials and structures
• Landscaping must compliment the surrounding and
4.2 INTERIORS natural landscape must be allowed to flourish in a
controlled manner
Can be turned into art spaces and art cafés, where diverse
historic information and artist works can be shown to • Ambiance must be maintained from outside as well as
convey the cultural significance of the building and its inside
surroundings.
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION
4.3 GUIDELINES BY GOVERNMENT
The study's findings indicate that flexible reuse is one of the
• Only minor adjustments should be made to preserve the finest strategies to renovate a building without
historic character. Regular maintenance should be compromising its integrity. Anything the designer can do
performed to ensure the safety of visitors. to extend the life of the structures should be done.
Buildings with a strong foundation and a structural
• Architectural details, finishes, materials, and structure are the greatest candidates for re-use. A
construction methods should be preserved. historically significant structure has remained in its
• The addition of inner walls should not result in structural location for a long period, and as a result, it has layers of
alterations that are large enough to change the identity of local context and extra history. They are in the middle,
the structure. have a strong feeling of community, all of the required
resources, and are already constructed.
The significance and breadth of reuse related to art are
attempted to be understood via this research. In this
approach, a wide range of foreign and Indian issues have
been investigated. Contributions from these case studies
have also been accepted to regain the discarded structure
identified by these characteristics.

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