Renewal is a noble task

Other professions that people involved in architecture are often aware of are doctors and lawyers. Doctors heal wounded and weak people, and lawyers untangle tangled human relationships. It may be rude to say it like that, but they are both noble professions that repair things. Now, in architecture, too, renovations that repair existing buildings are becoming more common in comparison to new constructions, and this is also a noble job.

Architectural renovations can be broadly divided into interior and facade renovations, facility renovations, and earthquake reinforcement. Interior and facade renovations replace worn-out finishes while also giving the building a new look to suit its intended use, and as it directly addresses needs and the answer is clear, it produces welcome results. Facility renovations also aim to update worn-out or uncomfortable equipment, and the effects of the renovation, such as improved comfort, are immediately apparent with the introduction of new functions and more efficient equipment, and the reduced running costs mean that the renovations can be recouped within a few years.

The problem is earthquake reinforcement. Earthquake reinforcement involves diagnosing the earthquake resistance of existing buildings and repairing them with current advanced technology, but ultimately this means adding new walls and thickening pillars. This can leave people dissatisfied with the usability of the building. This is foreseeable, and there are inconveniences due to restrictions on building use during construction, and above all, the cost issue, so it is not an easy undertaking. Therein lies the fundamental problem with earthquake-resistant design, in that no one can easily answer the questions of whether an earthquake will occur and whether reinforcement is really necessary.

However, even if it is not clear that an earthquake will occur, preparing for it and making repairs is a noble act to prevent problems from occurring, similar to prevention in medicine and advance consultation in the legal profession. Since earthquake reinforcement is carried out while difficulties are foreseen, it is natural that the building owner who makes the decision should be congratulated, but the designers and builders involved are also noble professionals.

In addition to the difficulties of seismic reinforcement, there are many other challenges that are different from new construction, such as existing non-compliant materials, but this is a renewal of a building that has been used and loved for many years. In order to realize the client's wishes, engineers must devise a construction method that is cheap, reliable, and causes minimal disruption to the way the building is used, and must do work that is sure to please the client.