A Swedish design studio aims to bring new functionality to a century-old bridge in Stockholm, fitting 50 residential units into the framework below while creating a pedestrian path and linear park on the paved thoroughfare above.

In many cases, new bridges are constructed while their predecessors remain active, so why not use the old adjacent one for something new instead of carefully dismantling it? That’s what Urban Nouveau asks (and answers).

“Gamla Lidingöbron is unique and its cultural historical value increases with time,” say the architects. “It is more resourceful to fix the existing structure than to create tonnes of garbage by demolishing it. The bridge contains public memory and is an important symbol for Stockholm.”

Selling the newly built and centrally located two-story homes (with wonderful views) would bring in the revenue required to renovate the structure for its new use over the next few years while the new bridge is constructed. These units would also take advantage of the existing truss system holding up the bridge structure, requiring less energy and effort to build in the first place.

Getting this idea to go viral could, as it did with the High Line in NYC, help it become a reality. “Rather than conservation, this project is about restoring and developing a historic structure as a way to save it from demolition. After publishing our proposal in local media we received mostly positive comments from the local community. A public debate has started. With global support we will bring this project to reality.”

An enduring classic, the VW van might just be one of the most converted and renovated vehicles of all time, transforming into solar campers, bars, food trucks, shops, tanks, snowmobiles and even a Back to the Future-inspired mini movie theater with gull wings and a ‘working’ flux capacitor. Though most of these re-imaginations have been carried out by fans and enthusiasts, Volkswagen itself has some ideas for carrying the iconic van into the 21st century and beyond.

Back to the Future Volkswagen Van

Custom-built by Brian Wallin and currently available for sale in Nashville through VelocityMC, the ‘Back to the Future’-styled 1967 Volkswagen Bus looks like new inside and out after a fun renovation that added gull-wing doors to the front and a mini movie theater to the back. You’ll even find a time machine from the film mounted to the dashboard, and a ‘working’ flux capacitor. Tempted? It’s yours for $89,995.

1966 VW Bus Bulli T1 Turned Musical Snowmobile

Not only does this 1966 VW Bus Bulli T1 have rubber tracks instead of wheels, it’s a mobile DJ booth, designed to roam around during outdoor parties in snowy environments. That may seem highly specific, but hey, people who live in places that get trapped by literal walls of snow every winter want to party, too. It was created by Austrian promotions company BB Support by combining the VW with a 1960s Bombardier B01 Spurgerät snow machine.

World’s First Sideways VW Camper Van

At first glance, it seems like somebody just pushed a VW bus over onto its side. But no. It’s actually drivable like that. Mechanic Jeff Bloch is known for wacky race car builds, including an upside-down Chevrolet Camaro, so for him, this ‘Trippy Tippy Hippy Van’ is par for the course.

The Long & Short of It

In the long history of VW Minibus transformations, many a Short (VW) Bus has been born (though it’s not entirely clear why, other than ‘because we could.’) But have you ever seen a Volkswagen Bus limousine?

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Variations Of A Classic 13 Different Spins On The Volkswagen Bus

With an entirely custom-built interior, a nine-foot-wide sliding glass door and a warm modern aesthetic, this grain silo converted to a compact home seems worlds away from its humble farmyard origins. Architect Christoph Kaiser purchased the 1955 corrugated steel wall silo from a Kansas farmer and had it dismantled and shipped to downtown Phoenix, Arizona on the back of a pickup truck to begin the renovation process that would transform it into a beautiful, cozy and affordable two-story residence.

Once set in place in the up-and-coming Garfield Historic District, the silo began its dramatic makeover process. Large doors and windows were added to bring light into the previously darkened space, and the oculus at the top used to promote air circulation to the stored grain was turned into a skylight. Views of the Phoenix skyline are strategically framed, with the other windows looking out onto a spacious private garden.

With the silo’s tiny footprint, maximizing the interior space was a top priority. Kaiser designed a built-in, all-in-one solution that’s essentially one big piece of furniture to accommodate all of the residents’ daily living needs. Curved to match the line of the walls, the custom interior is clad mostly in reclaimed walnut flooring scored on Craigslist. Kaiser even designed a one-of-a-kind ceiling lamp with hooks for hanging pots and pans to save space. The Eames wire chairs are the only elements that weren’t custom-made for the home.

A spiraling staircase leads to the sleeping loft, which is equipped with a digital projector so the couple has their very own mini movie theater in their bedroom. The bathroom, finished in glossy floor-to-ceiling penny tile, boasts a rounded custom vanity and compact Duravit toilet. When the nine-foot window is opened to the garden in nice weather, the home seems to expand.

“It was love at first sight: an affordable, challenging prospect,” the architect tells World Architecture News. “The thought of assembling a kit of parts that fits in the bed of a truck, and ending up with a home for two was a tantalizing challenge, very appealing from a carbon-footprint, sustainability, and shall we say, ‘architectural rigor’ standpoint.”

An ambitious infrastructure conversion project in Singapore will turn 15 miles of a abandoned rail corridor into a continuous mixed-use trail-and-park system stretching from one end of the island city-state to the other.

Led by the Urban Redevelopment Authority and designed by Japanese firm Nikken Sekkei, the coast-to-coast master plan features over 100 access points and 20 modular platforms for various uses, strung together with contiguous bicycling and pedestrian paths.

Some spaces will be dedicated to nature-oriented activities, including secluded boardwalks and rainforest viewing stations. Other nodes will be community-oriented, with outdoor movie projectors, climbing walls, information stations, food vendors and additional activity centers.

The southern terminus will be the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, and the long route north will bring the trail system past a series of both remote and urban areas, under viaducts and over bridges, offering access to city dwellers but also escapes into nature and compelling views. In some cases, redundant infrastructure (like former train stations) will be incorporated into this rails-to-trails redevelopment plan.

The goal is to create “seamless public space” that prioritizes the “preservation and reintegration of existing green areas and a relaxed extension of modern life,” according to the designers. The rail corridor should be “inspiring, accessible, comfortable, memorable, eco-friendly and growing/evolving … acting as a catalyst to development and community bonding.”

A massive 14,000-square-foot green roof is the latest addition to a city-approved pier conversion plan, part of an overall scheme to convert Pier 57 in New York City into an extensive modular shipping container mall on the water.

Developed by Youngwoo & Associates and designed by LOT-EK, famous for their extensive work with cargo containers, the SuperPier project will rent out retail space to stores in containers plugged into the larger existing structural framework.

Shade structures and seating are provided throughout to park area, allowing people to explore and rest along the length of the transformed open space. A series of plants organized to bloom in various seasons will add color year-round.

The project includes restaurants, an amphitheater and observation decks, all tucked into the currently-disused pier building.

As an historic landmark, external modifications like the park above must be carefully hidden from view, ultimately informing the design of the finished shapes and spaces. The result is a combination of historical facades and fresh interior and rooftop strategies.