Abstract

Sustainability and its fundamental principles have become integral across various fields, significantly influencing academic and professional standards and guidelines for interior design. Key entities such as the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, International WELL Building Institute, National Association of Schools of Art and Design, and US Green Building Council have played crucial roles in defining and promoting these standards. Over the past two decades, there have been growing endeavors to integrate social considerations into sustainable design practice. Design approaches and processes have increasingly emphasized the involvement of diverse stakeholders, including local communities, influencing interior design education to incorporate these sociocultural impacts. Some critical aspects of sustainability revolve around adaptive reuse, a strategy that has sparked considerable debate within the industry. Widely recognized as a sustainable design and development strategy, adaptive reuse also concerns the cultural and historical contexts of built environments. By repurposing existing urban structures, adaptive reuse also contributes to reducing new carbon footprints, thereby enhancing environmental sustainability. This article provides an overview of adaptive reuse concepts and examines the sociocultural impacts on the environmental design industry, emphasizing its positive aspects, such as reducing waste and preserving cultural heritage, as well as challenges. The article analyzes precedent projects through the lens of sociocultural sustainability and proposes a conceptual model that delineates its construct. Furthermore, it discusses the educational implications of adaptive reuse, illustrated by a student project integrating research, programming, and adaptive reuse strategies to address place identity.