Many cities have two problems: empty offices and a shortage of homes. Because more people now work from home, some office buildings are no longer fully used. Architects are finding creative ways to turn these spaces into apartments. This process is called “adaptive reuse.” In the United States, more than 70,000 apartments were expected to come from former offices in 2025. (rentcafe.com)

However, changing an office into a comfortable home is not simple. Offices often have large, deep floors. The space near the center may receive little sunlight or fresh air. Also, homes need more kitchens, bathrooms, and water pipes than offices do.

Designers have developed several solutions. They can cut open parts of a building to create courtyards or light wells. These spaces bring sunlight and air into the center. Dark areas can also become gyms, storage rooms, cinemas, or shared workspaces. Instead of making every apartment the same shape, architects can create different layouts that fit around existing walls and columns. (gensler.com)

A major example is 25 Water Street in New York City. This nearly empty office tower has been changed into more than 1,300 homes. Architects removed parts of its deep floors and added new floors at the top. (manhattanbp.nyc.gov)

Reusing a building can also reduce waste because its main structure does not need to be destroyed. Still, not every office is suitable. One large architectural study found that only about one quarter of the buildings it examined were good candidates for full residential conversion. Location, window design, floor depth, and elevator position are all important. (gensler.com)

Office conversion will not solve every housing problem, but good design can give old buildings a valuable new life—and bring more people back to quiet city centers.