Officine Farneto is a former barrack — designed in 1932 by Enrico Del Debbio — converted into a cultural venue, although this is just the latest of a series of adaptive reuse programmes: in over three quarters of a century it’s in fact been used as a factory, then as offices, and it’s now turned into a conference venue and showroom.

Set within Monte Mario park, the venue preserves its original “industrial archaeology” outlook as a wrapping to the new contemporary design features added by the recent refurbishment programme by Architettare.it.

Facilities include a bar area, a bookshop, artists’ studios, a roof garden area, a fully equipped 130 seats conference room and an overall “event area” which can welcome up to 1600 people.

[photos via Officine Farneto]

Westbury-sub-Mendip is a village in Somerset, England

with a population of about 800, situated on the southern slopes of the Mendip Hills half-way between the cathedral city of Wells and the world-famous Cheddar Gorge.

Some time ago the village Parish Council bought a traditional British red phone booth from BT for £1 — and then transformed it into a 24-hour book exchange library:

Villagers can use the library (which stocks about a hundred books) just by leaving there a book they’ve read, swapping it for one they haven’t, therefore the books are constantly changing.

This is an amazing way to reuse a former piece of urban furniture, turning it into a 24-hour service — should be done in all small communities.

[photos by Bob Dolby]

A victorian warehouse with 10 metres ceilings has been turned into an new cultural space and exhibit space in Shoreditch, London. On top of that, literally, dismissed tube wagons are being reused as artists’ studios:

[via re-nest]

Apart from Le Corbusier’s specs, there’s another gadget a Real Architect can’t do without: a bag made out of construction fencing.

(*) Law #494/96 is an Italian law on safety on work areas.

[via Cool Hunting]