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40 Of The Coolest Building Conversions (New Pics)
Buildings, like many other things, wear down over time, so it's no surprise that cities and countrysides are home to abandoned lighthouses and misused warehouses. But a rising architectural approach called adaptive reuse offers a way to give a second life to these structures.
It can offer a lot of useful solutions for the surrounding area, like low-income or student housing, community centers, or mixed-use venues. And since the industry is picking up so much steam, we at Bored Panda decided to expand one of our existing series and make a new list of some of the most surprising repurposed properties.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Boekhandel Dominicanen In Maastricht, The Netherlands. A Bookstore In A 13th Century Gothic Church
Sapna Sarfare 2 years ago
Fabulous.. Imagine the thing that once truth was kept away from people by destroying books.
Fester Sixonesixonethree 2 years ago
I love the idea that the building used for enforcing delusional fantasies is now a source of KNOWLEDGE. Great transformation. :)
naylene hess 2 years ago
Kind of a crappy thing to say honestly your entitled to believe whatever religion you want
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naylene hess 2 years ago
Well unless those books involve minors and not so minor safe things and things of that nature anways
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Khaleena 2 years ago
It used to be a slaughterhouse, too. And a boxing ring, and horse stables, all sorts of stuff. Now they have a nice little cafe where the altar used to be. You can find a leather hardback copy of LOTR (in English!) and have a really good coffee to celebrate it. And then you can have a little walk to a little shop a few streets away and buy a ton of that coffee if you liked it. I miss Maastricht.
Fiona Snyder 2 years ago
This is so amazing, I only wish the bookshelves fit the theme more. They're a bit modern for the look
RELATED:
#2
Former Olive Mill Turned Into Home In Italy
JewishPunnyBunny 2 years ago
Aside from needing some more colour in the decor, this is gorgeous.
According to experts, adaptive reuse is important for a community because it:
- Maintains cultural heritage. In areas with historic architecture, adaptive reuse is a form of preservation. It restores culturally significant sites that would otherwise be left to decay or demolished to make room for parking lots.
- Slows urban sprawl. When builders search for new construction sites, they must often choose land further outside of a city center since the land within a city is usually occupied by old buildings or more expensive real estate. This fuels the process of urban sprawl, a term for the unrestricted expansion of urban areas, contributing to air pollution and other environmental impacts, dangerous traffic patterns, higher infrastructure costs, and social isolation. Adaptive reuse offers a counter to this phenomenon.
- Creates a new community beacon. Adaptive reuse architecture is functional and often incredibly beautiful. For example, the Tate Modern art gallery in London is housed in a building formerly known as the Bankside Power Station, a decommissioned electricity plant. Taking an adaptive approach allowed builders to create a unique and beautiful art gallery that is now a cultural attraction in the city.
#3
Waterstones Book Shop - Bradford, West Yorkshire
SomePeopleCallMeMaurice 2 years ago
Is it strange the my second thought was: “I wonder what the rent on that place is”. First thought: “Oooh, pretty”!
niki.bordeaux 2 years ago
My second thought was how high their energy bill must be. 😄
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#4
My Local Library Moved Into An Old Grocery Store
Mary August 2 years ago
When our local library moved they asked people to help. They asked to lend as many books as you can with extended time, keep the books while they moved and return them only after they moved. Less books for them to move.
CORGI QUEEN 2 years ago
MINE TOO! its in a marsh, they moved it because they were doing renovations. I know what city you live in *grinch grin*
#5
The Place Where Julius Caesar Was Murdered Is Now A Sanctuary For Cats
Oerff On Tour 2 years ago
Largo Argentina (silver square), whose cats are fed by three professional and numerous volunteers, paid by the city of Rome. The food is donated by Pedigree Pet Food Italy.
Cpt. Robert Christian 2 years ago
You cannot claim it is a sanctuary for cats, and post a photograph of the location, with no cats in the photograph! That is just uncouth.
Souma Spiritus 2 years ago
The cats are just in the middle of teleporting as usual
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kf *(edited)* 2 years ago
There's a joke to be made here about cat fights and back stabbing.. .
Raelene Christie 2 years ago
What a great use for such a historic building and how much less horrid is it to provide sanctuary for little fluffy ones.
Adaptive reuse is an excellent option for many projects because it can lower construction costs. On the whole, it uses more labor than it does building materials, and while material costs have skyrocketed in the last few decades, labor costs have increased only slightly.
Adaptive reuse also forgoes all demolition expenses, which are often expensive and a significant portion of a construction budget. Local tax incentives and federal historic tax credits for the adaptive reuse of buildings ease budget concerns for builders repurposing old buildings.
#6
Atocha Tropical Garden In Madrid, Spain. The Building Once Was The Old Train Station Before The Transportation Hub Was Expanded To Include Its High-Speed Train Links
The sprawling garden contains 7,000 plants from more than 260 species.
Cpt. Robert Christian 2 years ago
Beautiful. And now they can add the trains they just bought, that are too wide for the tunnels, as planters, to this location too.
Jutta Plötz 2 years ago
Fun fact all plants confiscated by the customs which aren’t drugs end up in botanical gardens like that one.
teresa rudnik 2 years ago
They just need small enclosed areas for tropical and local butterflies. Impressive!!
#7
The Parking Garage Turned Into 44 Apartments In Wichita, Kansas
Mirabelle Skyrim 2 years ago
Is that floor polished concrete? If so, it's cool (in both meanings) that they kept it.
foryouwhynot IB 2 years ago
It is! I’ve been there, but back when you still just parked a car and not yourself on a couch…
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The Veil of Fire 2 years ago
I would be the person driving around trying to figure out why there is no parking in a parking garage.
Ben 2 years ago
Yes polished and or coated with some type of lacquer. It is what they do when updating old buildings to residential units. I personally believe they do this to save a ton of money on installing hardwood floors. My old loft looked the same and it kind of pissed me off.
JewishPunnyBunny 2 years ago
My feet and knees cry when they see concrete floors. Like it can look nice but it's so hard and cold, not friendly to those with joint issues. I'd be sticking rugs everywhere!
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Mari Mar Pinta 2 years ago
I wish they would do that in our nearby cities... so many empty lots and buildings that are still in good condition and suitable for affordable housing...
Cpt. Robert Christian 2 years ago
Type 1 structures are constructed of concrete and protected steel (steel coated with a fire resistant material, most often a concrete mixture), and are designed to hold fire for an extended amount of time in order to keep the fire at bay in the room and/or floor of origin.
#8
An Old British Telephone Box Which Was Decommissioned From Public Use. This One In Bath Has Been Turned Into A Flower Bed
mcborge1 2 years ago
Well the Tardis could easily look like this if only the Doctor took the time to fix the chameleon circuit. :D
Load More Replies... weatherwitch 2 years ago
We've put a lot of these to new use in the UK. Some are lending libraries, some have defibrillators in, some act as little honesty shops in rural areas and a few still are working phones. I love how this one has been done ❤️
Fester Sixonesixonethree 2 years ago
Oh those Brits... so clever! (Ignoring Brexit, of course...)
Bubbles and sparks 2 years ago
It fits the feel of the town, been in Bath a long time ago and thought it was lovely there ☺️
#9
This Old Church Has Been Converted To Self-Catering Accommodation In Scotland
JewishPunnyBunny 2 years ago
Had to look it up, Collins Dictionary says "If you go on a self-catering holiday or you stay in self-catering accommodation, you stay in a place where you have to make your own meals."
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Julie Snelling 2 years ago
That is really cool but I would always feel as if I'm being watched.
Butterfly_Cavewoman 2 years ago
OMG...this is beautiful. If I had the money, this is what I'd love to do.
Adaptive reuse can also speed up construction since building a new structure often takes significantly longer than rehabbing an existing one.
Many spaces in an old building may be habitable after only minimal refurbishment, so even if the project is still ongoing, owners can open parts of the building for business.
#10
I Converted A School Bus Into My House
Upstaged75 2 years ago
It is - people do this all the time. It's a great way to travel cheaply.
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#11
This Walgreens Is In An Old Bank
Maebe Maeve 2 years ago
It was subtle, but I picked up on it too eventually.
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aubergine10003 2 years ago (edited)
It's at the base of the Chrysler Building in NYC. Based on the below, I guess there's also one in Chicago!
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Kate Jones 2 years ago
There's a part of me that would be scared I'd get locked inside. I know that's illogical but still... I don't like only one entrance, lol.
Michael Largey 2 years ago
In the US, you have to visit a bank before you pick up your prescriptions.
Pink Taco Eater 2 years ago
It’s in Chicago Illinois in the US. The whole store looks pretty cool. It was a bank in the 1920s.
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Cheryl Ramsay 2 years ago
One of our local thrift shops has a large safe like this (not an old bank) and that is where all their books are.
#12
My Airbnb Was An Entire House Built Inside A Barn
Cpt. Robert Christian 2 years ago
Do not like the business model of Airbnb, Vrbo, etc. Nor will I ever use any of them. Especially since it has created a larger issue of housing gouging and insecurity. But that is a cool conception.
Carrie Whitaker 2 years ago
Not to mention all the reports of ridiculous rules from renters on Airbnb to their guests, and reports of hidden cameras in a lot of the home rentals.
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Heather Vandegrift 2 years ago
Why not just make the barn itself into the house? It would be much bigger!
naylene hess 2 years ago
Thats usually what people do ive never seen this before lmao and i live in an area with a lot of these
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#13
These Old Silos In Oklahoma Were Converted To A Rock Climbing Gym
Jonnathan Poirier 2 years ago
Same just looking up in the picture gave me anxiety
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I'm positivly a wolf 2 years ago
Now that you mention it, neither can I. I just assumed it was looking down until I read this and now I'm not so sure
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Aquata 2 years ago (edited)
Looking through the other comments, am I the only one who would do this by choice? Me being an Okie has too looked this up, and if you look at some pictures, it's actually much more inviting! It's owned by Summit Gyms if anyone is interested
Kioh81 2 years ago
That's awesome! I'm going to try to go by there now next time we go to okc!
Load More Replies... Ben 2 years ago
Good question. I would think an old concrete grain silo. Missile silos would be a huge undertaking.
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DrLivingstonipresume 2 years ago
I cannot adequately articulate how much I hate everything about this
Interestingly, reinventing heritage buildings isn't something new – the ancients did it too. According to Candace Richards, who is the assistant curator of the Nicholson Collection, and has been part of the Sydney University Museums team for more than 15 years, anywhere permanent materials such as marble and granite were used to build monuments and infrastructure, recycling and reuse followed.
"The ancient Roman world is littered with examples of architectural recycling," Richards wrote.
#14
My Apartment, A Converted Church From The 1800s, On A Cold Evening In London
naylene hess 2 years ago
I bet its cold with all those windows lol curtains would definitely help tho
Heather Vandegrift 2 years ago
I want to see more pics! I love the idea of loving in an old, OLD church, for the windows and the arched doorways and the cemeteries that are usually part of the grounds (which I would take care to not disturbed and keep care of)
Raelene Christie 2 years ago
So beautiful what a great.use of the space and again such Breathtaking windoes
#15
The Floor In The Design Building At My College Is The Basketball Court It Used To Be
JewishPunnyBunny 2 years ago
That actually looks really nice and fun. What a good way to reuse it!
naylene hess 2 years ago
Well its under like 1000layers of wax so probably hard to remove 😂
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naylene hess 2 years ago
I mean schools change stuff up all the time its a college so my guess is they had a new one built as the floor looks to be preeeetty old
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#16
Grand Avenue Mall. The Way It Was Remade Into Apartments Turned It Into A Somewhat Surreal Space
Jeremy Evans 2 years ago
i would rather them be turned into lasertag though
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marianne eliza 2 years ago
Converted old malls are perfect for the elderly and those with certain mental health issues. Climate controlled, controlled entrances/exits, lots of walking and socializing space. First floor could be shops and doctor/dentists etc. offices, movie theater, restaurants, library, etc. Keep the dementia and Alzheimer patients safely confined but with a large and thriving social interaction scene.
naylene hess 2 years ago
All those things greatly help keep them sharp too
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Veronica Alejandre 2 years ago
Every mall that has closed should be turned into housing like this.
Theresa Stephenson 2 years ago
I love it and I like the idea of walking around without dealing with bad weather
Kate Jones 2 years ago
I feel like this is asking for trouble with all the glass upstairs. Unless it's for badminton or something, lol.
#17
I Converted A Van Into A Home And Now Work Remotely And Travel Full-Time
Jen Hart 2 years ago
I don't know this one specifically, but vans in the US tend to be 17-23 feet (I used to RV).
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Jen Hart 2 years ago
Both. RVs come in different types. In the US, there are "class B" RVs which are vans (but not all vans are turned into RVs). "Class A" are the huge boxy type. "Class C" are the ones a bit smaller than class A that have a sleeping cab above the driver's area. Then there are the towed kind of RVs: campers and 5th wheels that are pulled behind a truck. 5th wheels hook into a mechanism in the truck bed, and campers hook into a coupling under the bumper. Finally, there are truck campers that are "carried" in the truck bed, and don't have any wheels of their own. Broadly, RVs are all or partly livable; such as having hook ups for water, electric, and sewer. Truck campers tend not to have sewer systems, but a few do.
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"The Arch of Constantine is possibly the most referenced structure in spolia studies," Richards said. "Dedicated in 315, the arch celebrates Constantine's victory over his rival Emperor Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge."
"First noticed by Raphael, the arch was built from a mixture of new and recycled decorative building material. Scenes of animal hunts, religious sacrifice, and historic battles were taken from monuments built in the second century CE, including those of the emperors Hadrian, Trajan, and Marcus Aurelius. These scenes represented the 'golden years' of Rome's past."
#18
This Is The New Life Of A Rescued And Repurposed Gothic-Arch Barn Near Manassas, VA
Bluetoyou 2 years ago
A lot of those old barns were ships that were no longer sea worthy. Turn upside down.
Kathy Brandt 2 years ago
This would be the Black Sheep Restaurant. The complex is a brew pub & restaurant (2 Silos Brewing), a weekend live concerts (Farm Brew Live), and event buildings. It was a functioning farm, turned very popular in the area.
Kyndra Murphy 2 years ago
This is awesome. Our grandfather's and great Grandfather's Even great great and so on used their own hands to build these barns. It's nice to see our ppl reusing and repurposing them
RockSteady 2 years ago
Black Sheep is a fantastic restaurant. The entire Silos complex is amazing! We love it.
Abby Rexroth 2 years ago
Governments need to give individuals grants to recycle all of these abandoned buildings.
Bubbles and sparks 2 years ago
I've seen a Hardrock Cafe that looked like this, if I remember correctly it was in Prague... Looks ever so lovely 😍
#19
The Gym I Go To Is Renovating. They Knocked A Few Walls Down And Revealed It Used To Be A Hollywood Video
The Veil of Fire 2 years ago
Should keep carpet for posterity or turn it into a large wall hanging memorabilia.
Kraneia The Dancing Dryad 2 years ago
I recognize the carpet..... worked at a Hollywood in the 2000s, can confirm. We had matching vests we had to wear.
JewishPunnyBunny 2 years ago
I'd be begging them to keep that carpet honestly, then you lean into it by showing movies to those working out.
#20
My Hotel Used To Be A Prison
Auntriarch 2 years ago (edited)
The one in Oxford is well worth a visit. And you can still get porridge;
Katie Lutesinger 2 years ago
See, once upon a time you could stay there for absolutely nothing! What a bargain!
Alexandra Davis 2 years ago
I stayed in the one in Bodmin, Cornwall and it's beautiful. So sympathetically restored keeping many old features but still very posh and done to a high standard. Plus the food was amazing! Well recommend it to anyone who finds themselves nearby!
Rebecca McManus 2 years ago
The old police station in Robin Hoods Bay was converted into self catering accommodation about 45 years ago, I remember fighting with my sister over which bunk we would have in the cell.
Kate Jones 2 years ago
I currently live in an old Firehouse/jailhouse that's been converted into apartments. I moved in when most of the apartments were empty and the landlord let me look around. The 1st floor apartment still has jail cells and jail cell doors that are now a pantry, a closet and a laundry room. It's a little creepy but there are 14 foot ceilings and the space is huge for the money he charges. However, it's not being kept up and the place is falling apart. Sad. If he really kept up with it, repainted and fixed all the holes and issues with the windows, this place would be gorgeous.
#21
This Massive Library In Barcelona Is Built In What Was Formerly A Water Deposit Built In 1874
The pillars and vaults, inspired by the Romans, are this large as the water was held in a pool on the roof
Ben 2 years ago
America has nothing like these things on the list. We have too much room it seems and everything just gets built new. If something is updated it is not some beautiful old church. It is probably some tacky building that was only built in the 60s or 70s.
Li’l E. 2 years ago
We do, though! Indianapolis has a really beautiful hotel and meeting space that was once an amazing train station. Portland has several lovely spaces that have been converted to pubs called McMenamins. Portland also has a fabulously beautiful building that was once a church that has been lovingly converted into a brewpub named Steeplejack. Portland Maine has a gorgeous restaurant named Grace that was once a church.
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Gemma Sykes 2 years ago
I used to study in here. It's the library at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona.
Just me, myself, and I 2 years ago
I'm getting a claustrophobic vibe from the pillars being so close to each other.
Lorie Shewbridge 2 years ago
That's amazing! I'd love to see what it looked like as it was with the water.
Richards highlighted that Constantine didn't just simply recycle these pieces; he reworked the stone faces of Rome's greatest emperors into his own image.
"With this act, the emperor takes on all the great qualities of his predecessors and sets himself up as the rightful leader of Rome. This recycling takes us into a world of political propaganda, something the Romans were renowned for," she explained.
#22
My Apartment For The Night In Porto, Portugal Has A Preserved 12th Century Wall And Staircase Encased In The Bedroom
Chewie Baron 2 years ago
Keeping the cold out and going upstairs or downstairs?
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V Martinez 2 years ago
Second window panel in from the right. It s it me, or does that look like a face of a sloth or bear or something? It definitely seems to have an expression.
#23
This Old School NYC Subway Entrance Got Turned Into A Subway Entrance
Kate Jones 2 years ago (edited)
I think I know exactly where this is and I got lost on a school trip once because the right hand side it goes into a store and it was so busy and crowded and we got completely turned around. I don't think it was a Subway sandwich shop at the time. On a plus note, my friend and I ran around NYC for a few hours all by ourselves at 13 and it was so much fun. Not to much for the teachers who were frantically looking for us. We eventually met back up with them at one of our planned stops. Keep in mind this was before cellphones so... they were pretty scared. I feel so bad looking back on it.
Lorie Shewbridge 2 years ago
That is so cool! That is what a marketing executive is supposed to do. Not come up with toilet using blue bears.
Cpt. Robert Christian 2 years ago
Everything is cool about this, except I would have preferred Jersey Mike's or Sub Station.
#24
That's Cool, But Are We Just Going To Gloss Over The Presumably Spine-Tingling Story Of Why The Side Entrance To Your Lab Has Been Bricked Over For Decades
M O'Connell 2 years ago
The story probably isn't spine-tingling. An entrance is often abandoned due to reconfiguration of the building interior, or because it cannot be modified to be wheelchair-accessible.
Raelene Christie 2 years ago
I like your practicality, however I think I prefer the idea of it being spine-tingling to be honest.
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Panda-sized Potato 2 years ago
I've made the mistake of looking at it closer, now my Trypophobia is acting up.
#25
Our Table At The Local Cafe Is Positioned Over A Medieval Well
SomePeopleCallMeMaurice 2 years ago
As an American, this kind of thing astounds me. Everywhere else in the world has such rich and well preserved history, and we never experience this sort of thing on a daily basis. I often wonder: do those of you who live in Europe, for example, become immune to the beauty around you, because you see it every day?
Bethan Coleman 2 years ago
Unfortunately yes. I live in a town that film companies often use because of the amount of historic buildings. Living there day to day, I don't really notice the buildings: more the trivialities that come with living in an old town such as narrow roads and lack of parking.
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Phil Green 2 years ago
Go to the Red Lion in Avebury. It's in the middle of a huge stone circle and in the pub is a well. The place is so cool and magic.
Natural disasters and invading armies often left ancient monuments in ruin and created a stock of marble, granite, and sandstone that could be reused in new constructions. While the materials may have changed, it's clear that adaptive reuse is not a new approach.
#26
Stayed In A Boeing 747 Converted To A Hostel At Arlanda Airport, Sweden (Jumbo Stay)
Mylène Asselin-Soucy 2 years ago
For those who wants to be part of the mile high club without taking any risk...
Michael Largey 2 years ago
Yeah, and ten minutes before check-out time, all the guests are standing in the aisle with their bags.
Lorie Shewbridge 2 years ago
I would like to see that. Don't know if I could stay all night in there though.
#27
A Beautiful Old Church Was Converted Into An Awesome Climbing Center, Retaining Original Features Like Stain Glass Windows And An Altar (Manchester Climbing Center, UK)
Head Mills 2 years ago
I've been here a few times, it really is very cool (in fact a but too cool, it's always bloody freezing! 😆)
#28
Vermont Converted Barn - Cozy Living Room
Michelle Carlson 2 years ago
WHat's with all the gaps in teh siding? Is it covered with plexi from the inside?
Glen Ellyn 2 years ago
No kidding! It must be. Very curious. Otherwise, it wouldn't be so cozy in winter.
Load More Replies... Cpt. Robert Christian 2 years ago
I do have some questions about the efficiency and proficiency of the heating and cooling, with the board spacing?
Impasta (she/they) 2 years ago
You can see outside through the walls, must be cold and wet in there whenever it rains
Seçil Yeşilağaç 2 years ago
I really liked the ambiance. But it feels like it would be cold since there isn't much isolation.
#29
This Church Has Been Converted Into A Bar
Amy Broderick 2 years ago
I think this is in Dublin and I’ve been there. Food was really good and great atmosphere
Mimi Downhouse 2 years ago
There used to be a bar in Helsinki city centre that used to be a church (the bar was called The Highlight). What I think is weird, is that they have returned the space back to a church since then! So now you can go to the church where you used to get hammered and dance on the tables...
Mimi Downhouse 2 years ago
And actually people who met at the bar have been married there now
Load More Replies... #30
A Fantastic Looking Building
JewishPunnyBunny 2 years ago
Is Miami known for art deco? I might have to go there...
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Dawn Duckworth 2 years ago
That's wonderful. Lived in London 20yeats ago, and always thought the building was gorgeous. London will make flats out of anything.
Sven Grammersdorf 2 years ago
Hoover is not a British company. It was founded in Ohio and its headquarters is in North Carolina.
#31
Synagogue Turned Into A Café In Trnava, Slovakia
LK 2 years ago
Most of the congregation were killed in the genocide of the Holocaust. There is currently no active Jewish community in Trnava. The building was damaged during WWII. The synagogue was partially restored in the 1990s – the restorers chose to leave signs of the devastation the synagogue suffered before and after World War II and repaired in 1990.
Marno C. 2 years ago
I am glad they preserved the building. A physical reminder to those who went before us and endured such suffering. Their traces must be treasured and respected.
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David H 2 years ago
A lot of old synagogues in Europe have been used this way (like supermarkets, cafe's, etc), and the Jewish communities in these countries want to try and restore them as museums. However property law is complex, especially when they were repurposed in the communist era. The Jews were mostly wiped out by the Nazi's and I think restoring them is a good start. Some towns in Poland have done so, and made them into museums.
Jaaawn 2 years ago
The synagogue in the Polish town my family were from is just used as a garage of sorts. I've seen photos and it's heartbreaking. Especially as my grandmothers grandfather was the rabbi of that town.
Load More Replies... Sue From Michigan 2 years ago
This would make me uncomfortable knowing why the synagogue was abandoned.
Jonnathan Poirier 2 years ago
For real this was a holy place even if it was abandoned. To the Jewish community it's still a sacred place and to use them in such a manner is disrespectful.
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#32
Juerg Judin House, Berlin, Germany. Was Originally A Gas Station Built In The 1950s
#33
A Supermarket In An Old Theater In Venice, Italy
Tan Artt 2 years ago
Hmmm i get what you mean but i like that it became repurposed rather than just stay as a preserved building of some sort.
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Abby Rexroth 2 years ago
A Library would have been much better; adding contemporary items just cheapens the experience.
#34
Cozy Converted Church I Stayed In
Andy Frobig 2 years ago
The church in Brooklyn my mother attended as a child, where she, my father, and my sisters were all baptized, is condos now
#35
The Carvings Around My Doorframe - 18th Century Converted Manor
#36
Every Apartment In This Block Has Been Turned Into A Cafe Or Restaurant
Asia S 2 years ago
Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam Very dirty place… And in order to use the elevator you need to pay a small fee 🤭 There are rooms for rent as well 😳
Matthew Gobbell 2 years ago
Not any dirtier than any other urban setting, and has some of the best cafes in Ho Chi Minh.
Load More Replies... Ozymandias73 2 years ago
I wonder if they have one of those directories on the first floor telling people what's what and where. Like in Doctor's office buildings.
Ugh_What_Now 2 years ago (edited)
I can NOT imagine the fire/health/safety hazards having that many places packed into one building like that. Renovating the building is one thing, but just stuffing them into EACH apartment? That sounds like shady rental stuff and an overloaded power supply. 😐
naylene hess 2 years ago
Apparently its in Vietnam which doesnt really surprise me
Load More Replies... naylene hess 2 years ago
Jesus this is sad business must be very stressful with so much competition
#37
A Trampoline Park Inside A Former Church
Michael Largey 2 years ago
At last! A church that really helps you ascend toward heaven. (And softens the landing for you when you fall.)
#38
My Hotel Used To Be A Prison
Tucker Cahooter 2 years ago
Do the guests have to empty their own chamber pot in the morning? Or does housekeeping take care of that?
#39
A Grocery Store Inside A 3rd Century Roman Imperial Palace In Croatia
Furious George 2 years ago
I want to go to Split so badly, I would love to see how that palace has been utilized in person.
Load More Replies... Raelene Christie 2 years ago
I'm gobsmacked at how many interesting places have been turned into shops and they still have the historic things on display ,wow!
#40
One Of Our Local Libraries Moved Into An Old Marsh Supermarket
CORGI QUEEN 2 years ago (edited)
I KNOW WHAT CITY YOU LIVE IN BECAUSE I LIVE IN IT TOO. it was temporary and now moved back, if you wanna know where this is -> 2140 E. 116th St Carmel IN USA
Carla Phillips 2 years ago
I knew it must be indiana. My dad used to drive a truck for marsh.
Load More Replies... Kate Jones 2 years ago (edited)
I hope they kept the carts! Having shopping carts while buying books is the best thing ever. I don't know why bookstores force us to carry around 50 pounds in books.
Abby Rexroth 2 years ago
At least these grocery/libraries don't have to worry about dusty books.
Jeremiah pyle 2 years ago
I think that ls 116th and Brookschool, near Geist
Load More Replies... #41
Fire Station Turned Into Apartments
Kate Jones 2 years ago
I live in a firestation/police station. The ceilings are super tall with gorgeous windows but the insides were done on a shoestring budget and it shows. We still have the fireman's pole and circular stairs, as well as jail cell doors in the first floor apartment. But there are brick interiors and tall, arched windows. If it's done right these places can be gorgeous.
René Sauer 2 years ago
*lol* affordable rented apartments? In London? In such a beautiful, old building?
#42
Found This Amazing Spot In Colorado Springs. I Love Old Repurposed Buildings - The Principal's Office Brewery And Cafe. Straight Up Awesome Repurpose Of A 100-Year-Old School
#43
La Piscine – André Diligent Art And Industrial Museum, Which Opened Its Doors On October 21, 2001, Is Installed On The Site Of The Former Art Deco Municipal Swimming Pool
SomePeopleCallMeMaurice 2 years ago
Anyone else think there was still a pool full of water in the middle?
Kate Jones 2 years ago
Lol I did until I saw your comment. I was like...isn't the water going to cause mold problems? Lol
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Mat O'Dowd 2 years ago
I have been there, it is really a nice conversion. Well worth a visit if you happen to be in the North of France.
Jul_Jul_C 2 years ago
Definitely a special place. Be sure to book a guided tour of the building.
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#44
This Fast Food Drive Thru Used To Be A Car Wash
Toni Kay 2 years ago
I wish all drive thru’s would be like this. If there is a canopy over speaker and windows they are always too small and basically useless. Although I think I would have to turn my truck off to be able to talk, it would probably be really loud in there.
Scott 2 years ago
As a former fast food employee, I would strongly recommend turning your truck's engine off when at (or near, when not moving) the speaker. The mics on those are normally better than you'd anticipate and often I was deafened by the vehicle and the driver would frequently be upset when I couldn't hear them.
Load More Replies... #45
Castle Turned Into Prison; Prison Turned Into Hotel - Oxford
Glen Ellyn 2 years ago
This was used in an episode of Inspector Lewis (series 1, episode 2, Old School Ties).
#46
13th-Century Church Converted To A Bookstore
#47
Red Phone Box Repurposed Into A Mini-Cafe
SomePeopleCallMeMaurice 2 years ago
Man, it’d really suck if you needed a defibrillator and got a cafe instead.
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#48
An Old Telephone Box In My Village Turned Into A Book Swap
#49
Converted A Retired Ambulance Into A Mobile Tech Repair Office
#50
Just Finished Signing The Lease On The Most Gorgeous Waterfront Loft In A Repurposed Historical Mill Building Downtown, And We Could Not Be More Excited
#51
This Old Movie Theater Turned Into A Gym (Long Island, NY, USA - Via Colossal)
Mia Black 2 years ago
This makes me sad but I think it is better used this way than replaced by one of our modern, ugly new buildings
SomePeopleCallMeMaurice 2 years ago
I agree! We have so little historical beauty in our country.
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#52
My Store In Houston, TX Used To Be A Movie Theater
Vex Boxx 2 years ago
I live in Houston and while this one may be in the coolest building, the one nearest to me always has a ton of open parking directly in front of the store. I think that makes it the best one.
Load More Replies... niki.bordeaux 2 years ago
It's weird to see a Trader Joe's shop, since in Germany Trader Joe's is simply a brand sold at Aldi.
Cerridwn d'Wyse 2 years ago
Not exactly.but kinda. There are 2 aldis which I thought was kind of. Interesting. I've read on it? Maybe it's a cool thing to Google if you didn't know.
Load More Replies... #53
Our Spirit Halloween Used To Be A Christian Bookstore, And The Signage Is Still Up
Kate Jones 2 years ago
Hahahahaa that is just....amazing. I love that they didn't cover that sign. It makes it so much better.
#54
Gas Station Turned Into A Plant Material Shop
#55
My Local Mall's Old-Timey Bank That Got Turned Into A Pinball Arcade
Ivan Petrov 2 years ago
At the end of the day, they still steal your money 😆 but in this case you have fun.
#56
A Brewery In My Hometown Converted A Church Into Their Taproom/Brewery
Kate Jones 2 years ago
Kind of funny how many of them involve alcohol, lol.
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#57
Restaurant, In The Same Building As A Blockbuster Used To Be, Uses VHS Tapes As Wall Decor
#58
This Building Opened As The Lansdowne Picture Palace In 1914, Was Repurposed As A Nightclub In The 1950s And Is Now A Sainsbury’s Local Supermarket. Sheffield, UK
Kate Jones 2 years ago
Kind of a shame how many of these older buildings are turned into grocers and convenience stores. I understand not wanting to waste the space but...it just feels so crappy seeing such beautiful architecture being wasted on something so trivial.
Ivan Petrov 2 years ago
Greedy corporations can easily buy these buildings, leave them a few years without upkeep, and then demolish them as being dangerous. Then you get a new ugly condominium or parking lot. At least this one can survive some more.
Load More Replies... Brian Busby 2 years ago
So a movie theater or a bar is important architecture but grocery store is "something so trivial". Tell that to the employees and the people they serve, you sanctimonious gas bag.
#59
Dublin Church Transformed Into An Insurance Company’s Headquarters
#61
These Silos Were Turned Into Apartments
Anička 2 years ago
Same! And how do you get to the upper apartments? They seem to small to have a stairwell or elevator inside...
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Rinso the Red 2 years ago
Nice, but ever tried getting a living room to fit in with a rounded outer wall?
René Sauer 2 years ago (edited)
with only one window each? Edit: They appear to be located in Hampstead, MD. I am pretty sure this is the other side of it: https://bit.ly/3Y8QgV9
#64
The Underground Vault Of Maryland Trust Was One Of The Few Structures To Survive The Baltimore Fire. Today, It Is Used As A Boardroom In The Springhill Suites Hotel
The Baltimore fire of 1903 destroyed almost every building in Downtown Baltimore, causing $2.5 billon in damage.
Ace Girl 2 years ago
Interesting that we measure damage in dollars than the cost of human life/living.
JewishPunnyBunny 2 years ago
It's easier to quantify property damage rather than life. How do you put a dollar value on life? You can't, it's too precious to put in such terms.
Load More Replies... Dave M 2 years ago
Just what Baltimore needs again, a cleansing fire. Far too many abandoned row houses and trash.
Upstaged75 2 years ago
I don't think fire is the solution. Perhaps more jobs and better pay might solve the issue - as they would in most situations of low income areas becoming abandoned.
Load More Replies... #65
This Grain Silo Converted Into A Home
M O'Connell 2 years ago
Most of the grain bin conversions I have seen involve coating the entire inside in spray-on expanding foam before building out the interior.
Load More Replies... JewishPunnyBunny 2 years ago
Tin roofs actually can sound pretty soothing! Idk about whole tin buildings, though. There's probably insulation added in.
Load More Replies... #66
Dragons Den Ropes Course In Homestead Inside Of What Used To Be Mary Magdalene Church
#67
From Small Reservoir To Small Home. Africa
niki.bordeaux 2 years ago
Yeah, really vague. It's like saying it's located in America.
Load More Replies... #68
Local Football Stadium Is Being Turned Into A Popup Medical Clinic
M O'Connell 2 years ago
A very similar setup was used for COVID vaccinations near me in a former department store. I've never seen a government-run operation move so quickly and efficiently.
Ivan Petrov 2 years ago
Government being good at its job? What black magic is this? 😆
Load More Replies... Toni Kay 2 years ago
I figured this had to do with covid and looked at original post “ Thanks for that hot take. This isn’t a COVID clinic. It’s a dental/medical/optic clinic for uninsured individuals. They were setting up outpatient surgery in the locker rooms.” I didn’t know stuff like this happens in such large size, I think it’s cool.
#70
This Repurposed Blockbuster Store
#71
The McDonald's Has A Retired Aircraft Repurposed As A Playground
#72
Old Baptist Church Being Turned Into Spirit Halloween
#73
Church Of Sushi
#75
Original Brickwork From 1780 Preserved In A Beauty Shop
KittyMommy 2 years ago
True, but I imagine it would have been hard to keep the brick clean with all of the rough sides on the brick and mortar
Load More Replies... #76
Local Pub Has An Old Well Turned Into A Fish Tank
#77
This Taco Bell Restaurant Is Constructed From Repurposed Shipping Containers
Katie Lutesinger 2 years ago
I saw a lot of this sort of thing in Christchurch, thanks to the earthquake. They'd re-established an entire shopping area using nothing but shipping crates. Cafes in shipping crates, a bookshop in a shipping crate, a bank in a shipping crate, a post office in a shipping crate, etc. It was all very trendy.
#78
Peckham Levels, A Multistory Car Park In London, England, Converted Into A Food And Entertainment Venue By Carl Turner Architects In 2018
#79
The Amish By My House Own An Old Airplane Hanger They Turned Into A Hockey Rink
#80
This Doctor's Office Preserved Graffiti From When The Building Was A Abandoned Industrial Building
#81
This Bar At My Hotel Used To Be A Bank Vault
#82
This Church Was Converted To Townhomes
Anička 2 years ago
Or perhaps how many churches were built, that there are more so many empty ones. :) (I'm not stalking you, i swear.)
Load More Replies... #83
An Old Barn Near Me Got Converted Into A McDonald's
#84
Church Turned Coffee House In Seward, Alaska
#85
This Repurposed Old Phone Box Being Used To Sell Cannabis CBD Oils. Dr. Who Moving Up In High Life
Bubbles and sparks 2 years ago
This is an absolute great idea. There are so many people who can benefit from CBD oil.
#86
My University Converted A Nearby Church Into A Lecture Hall
#87
This Bank Turned Into A Cookies Store
#88
This Gas Station Converted To A House
#89
A Church Turned Into A Concert Venue In Pittsburgh, PA
Bubbles and sparks 2 years ago
So very, very true, that was the first thing that came into my mind as well ☺️
Load More Replies... Anička 2 years ago
Lots of empty churches available. No congregation to keep 'em up.
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#92
A Dispensary In A Former Church
#93
Het Arresthuis Is A Hotel In Roermond. The 19th-Century Building Was A Working Prison Until 2007. A 2011 Makeover Repurposed Cells Into Minimalist Chic Rooms And Suites
Ivan Petrov 2 years ago
Aren't they the room keys 😄 That would be interesting.
Load More Replies... #94
Former Target Turned Into A Walmart, They Painted The Target Orbs Yellow Instead Of Removing Them
#95
This Baseball Diamond Gets Turned Into A Huge Skating Rink In Winter
Upstaged75 2 years ago
I have a friend who lives in a very cold part of Canada. All her kids play hockey so in the winter they water the back yard and turn it in to a rink. Probably common up there, but I thought it was cool. We haven't even had snow where I live yet this winter.
#98
This Church That Has Been Converted Into A Tesco
#100
Last Weekend I Visited The 1933 Slaughterhouse In Shanghai. The Building Has Been Converted Into A Design Hub With Cafes And Shops
Ivan Petrov 2 years ago
The weird angles and pathways are probably the reason. Very Silent Hill-esque.
Load More Replies... #101
Old Theatre Turned Into A Supermarket, The Walls Are Still Covered In Art (Venice)
#102
A Former Church In Folkestone Has Been Converted Into A Pub
Julie Snelling 2 years ago
Also this is a Wetherspoons which is a pub chain that takes old buildings and restores them and turns them into pubs. The one in our town is an old court house.
#103
Former Flak Tower, Now Aquatic Zoo In Vienna
Christof Irran 2 years ago
These Flak Towers (and there are many in Vienna) are solid steel re-enforced concrete, and it's sheer impossible to remove them. They are placed in the middle inner-city (or close to inner-city) residential areas so you can't blow them up without damaging surrounding buildings. Nor can you take them down piecemeal cause the noise from that would go on for years. So this is the aquatic zoo is really one of the better solutions.
#104
This Pizza Place That Was Once A Bank
#106
Old Gas Station Turned Into A Subway With Covered Seating
#107
This House Is A Converted Indoor Pool, The Basement Is The Bottom Of The Pool
#108
An Old Church Repurposed Into A Dentist Office In The Netherlands
#109
A Local Church Converted Into A Pub (Springfield, OR)
#110
You Can Tell That This Restaurant Used To Be Called Mango Chill
René Sauer 2 years ago
In my City there is a small shop, called a Kiosk, that has big, light up lettering on the outside of the building. By day it says `Kiosk`, but at night when it is turned on, you can read what it originally was underneath: Pelze (Furs).
#111
The White House Swimming Pool [1933] To The White House Press Room [2021]
![The White House Swimming Pool [1933] To The White House Press Room [2021]](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/repurposed-converted-buildings-2-63f3973ce3fe7__700.jpg "The White House Swimming Pool [1933] To The White House Press Room [2021]")
Bryn 2 years ago
The WH still has a pool it's just be relocated because they wanted to enlarge it
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Robert Trebor 2 years ago
And every President at every press conference wishes for a lever to dump the whole press corps into the pool, pre-stocked with crocodiles.
Nogard 2 years ago
This one is incorrect. Swimming pool is a different building (probably not even near the white house). Have a look at the windows on both sides on the swimming pool building and also how narrow it is for 2 doors at the back. Compared to press room, it looks wider and shorter room with no windows on the right side. I don't think it's related to one another. Just someone's opinion i guess.
Michael Largey 2 years ago (edited)
In 1933 FDR did have a private pool put in so he could get exercise despite having polio. Nixon had that pool taken out in 1970. (Don't go by the photos posted. Bored Pandas' pictures are rarely historically sourced.) Nixon's successor, Gerald Ford, had a new pool built on the South Lawn in 1975.
Load More Replies... #112
Former Public Bathhouse In Chicago, Illinois, Is Now A Private Residence
#115
This 19th Century Methodist Church In Darlington, UK, Was Converted Into "Bathroom World"
René Sauer 2 years ago
With almost all others I would have disagreed, But this time I am with you. This looks stupid.
Load More Replies... Michael Largey 2 years ago
That's what they used to say at the funerals held there.
Load More Replies... #116
My Airbnb Gym Has Chandeliers
EP 2 years ago
This is a random thought… Kinda speaks to me that it should be one of those places where you fill it with tvs and other items and then people pay to go inside w safety goggles and a sledge hammer to smash it all. The chandeliers plus the being able to smash tables and dressers and electronics just seems opposite enough that it works lol
#121
This Bank That Was Repurposed Into A Subway
#122
Our Local Toys "R" Us Became A Gun Store But Kept The Designs
EP 2 years ago
Oh my goodness….. a children’s toy store is now a gun shop and it kept its original children-friendly rainbow paint and obvious toys r us exterior. Subliminal marketing toward kids….. guns are toys…. (Granted any kids now a days probably don’t remember a toys r us but the fun rainbow is tone-def). 🙄😬☹️ cringe
#123
This Walmart Repurposed The Grain Silo From The Original Property
#124
This Building Was A Fire Station. Salem, Massachusetts
Julie Snelling 2 years ago
And took down the bell tower. I think they have ruined it
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#131
White Castle Turned Into An Urgent Care. Mansfield, Ohio
#132
Sears Store At My Mall Was Turned Into A Fake Mega Church For A TV Show
#133
This Toys "R" Us Turned Into A Liquor Store
#135
Michigan Theater In Detroit. Now Turned Into A Parking Garage
M O'Connell 2 years ago
Restoration of a theater interior like this is phenomenally expensive and time-consuming. If it's too far gone, why not take it down and re use the space for something else.
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#137
The Scarface Chainsaw Scene Location Is Now A CVS
#138
This Toys "R" Us Turned Into A Gun Store
#139
This Walmart Replaced A Former Target But Instead Of Removing The Balls They Painted Them Yellow
#140
DC History Center Converted Into An Apple Store
M O'Connell 2 years ago
The DC history center occupies the second floor of this building. It had previously been a Carnegie library.
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What do you think ?
Elizabeth Tayler 2 years ago
Some of these are really depressing. I guess it's better than destroying them.
Alexandra Davis 2 years ago
A pub I spent many a night as a team drinking their cheap drinks (it's a spoons) was an old opera hall, in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Still has many of the original features and every so often (don't live in Kent anymore so no idea if this still happens) they would have opera nights with people performing. For a spoons (very cheap chain of pubs in the Uk) it was very opulent drinking £6 pitchers of woo-woos at 17-18!
mcborge1 2 years ago
The old corn exchange building at the heart of Leicester market. It became a pub and is still called The corn exchange. :) b82abf8eaf...42d808.jpg 
Iustin Vreme 2 years ago
the most tragic part is about churches; the population didn't disappear or migrated, they just stopped attending. and they blamed ussr for decades exactly for this, before becoming the same thing.
Els Neele 2 years ago
Some new churches were built also, because the old buildings were too expensive to maintain for the church community. So the old buildings were sold and got a new purpose. Also why is it tragic that people don't attend? People are free to be religious and choose not to be.
Load More Replies... Katie Lutesinger 2 years ago
I once had lunch at a cafe in London which used to be an underground catacomb. There were memorial plaques set into the floor. And a nice carrot soup special.
Bubbles and sparks 2 years ago
Is really remarkable to see how many churches are transformed into other purposes, some are truly magnificent after that. Goes to show that the church leaders higher on the foodchain don't really care for those who visited those churches, they only care for profits. They rather make profit so it seems...
Elizabeth Tayler 2 years ago
Some of these are really depressing. I guess it's better than destroying them.
Alexandra Davis 2 years ago
A pub I spent many a night as a team drinking their cheap drinks (it's a spoons) was an old opera hall, in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Still has many of the original features and every so often (don't live in Kent anymore so no idea if this still happens) they would have opera nights with people performing. For a spoons (very cheap chain of pubs in the Uk) it was very opulent drinking £6 pitchers of woo-woos at 17-18!
mcborge1 2 years ago
The old corn exchange building at the heart of Leicester market. It became a pub and is still called The corn exchange. :) b82abf8eaf...42d808.jpg
Iustin Vreme 2 years ago
the most tragic part is about churches; the population didn't disappear or migrated, they just stopped attending. and they blamed ussr for decades exactly for this, before becoming the same thing.
Els Neele 2 years ago
Some new churches were built also, because the old buildings were too expensive to maintain for the church community. So the old buildings were sold and got a new purpose. Also why is it tragic that people don't attend? People are free to be religious and choose not to be.
Load More Replies... Katie Lutesinger 2 years ago
I once had lunch at a cafe in London which used to be an underground catacomb. There were memorial plaques set into the floor. And a nice carrot soup special.
Bubbles and sparks 2 years ago
Is really remarkable to see how many churches are transformed into other purposes, some are truly magnificent after that. Goes to show that the church leaders higher on the foodchain don't really care for those who visited those churches, they only care for profits. They rather make profit so it seems...
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