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

Historic church converted into a modern library, featuring tall bookshelves and vaulted ceilings.

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    #2

    Former Olive Mill Turned Into Home In Italy

    Modern living space in a historic building conversion, featuring vaulted ceilings and minimalist decor.

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    #3

    Waterstones Book Shop - Bradford, West Yorkshire

    Gothic church conversion into a stylish bookstore with intricate arches and bookshelves filled with colorful books.

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    #4

    My Local Library Moved Into An Old Grocery Store

    Library books displayed in converted grocery store freezer, a creative building conversion.

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    #5

    The Place Where Julius Caesar Was Murdered Is Now A Sanctuary For Cats

    Ancient Roman ruins amidst modern buildings, showcasing a unique building conversion blend of history and contemporary architecture.

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    #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

    Building conversion: train station transformed into indoor tropical garden with visitors walking around.

    The sprawling garden contains 7,000 plants from more than 260 species.

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    #7

    The Parking Garage Turned Into 44 Apartments In Wichita, Kansas

    Cool building conversion of a parking garage into modern apartments with stylish interiors and outdoor seating.

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    #8

    An Old British Telephone Box Which Was Decommissioned From Public Use. This One In Bath Has Been Turned Into A Flower Bed

    Red telephone booth converted into a vibrant flower planter on a city street.

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    #9

    This Old Church Has Been Converted To Self-Catering Accommodation In Scotland

    Interior of a cool building conversion featuring a stylish living space with arched windows and wooden accents.

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    #10

    I Converted A School Bus Into My House

    Converted bus interior with a piano and guitar, showcasing a creative building conversion.

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    #11

    This Walgreens Is In An Old Bank

    Vitamin store creatively housed in a converted bank vault, showcasing innovative building conversions.

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    #12

    My Airbnb Was An Entire House Built Inside A Barn

    Rustic building conversion with string lights and a ping pong table in a cozy barn setting.

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    #13

    These Old Silos In Oklahoma Were Converted To A Rock Climbing Gym

    Rock climbing wall inside a converted building with colorful holds and lights.

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    #14

    My Apartment, A Converted Church From The 1800s, On A Cold Evening In London

    Converted living space with stained glass windows, modern decor, and a digital workspace setup.

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    #15

    The Floor In The Design Building At My College Is The Basketball Court It Used To Be

    Hallway with hardwood sports flooring, vivid game lines visible, showcasing unique building conversion.

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    #16

    Grand Avenue Mall. The Way It Was Remade Into Apartments Turned It Into A Somewhat Surreal Space

    Historic building conversion into an indoor sports venue featuring a badminton court under a glass ceiling.

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    #17

    I Converted A Van Into A Home And Now Work Remotely And Travel Full-Time

    Cozy van interior showcasing a stylish building conversion with warm lighting and modern decor.

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    #18

    This Is The New Life Of A Rescued And Repurposed Gothic-Arch Barn Near Manassas, VA

    Interior of a converted building with a stylish bar and dining area, featuring exposed wooden beams and modern lighting.

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    #19

    The Gym I Go To Is Renovating. They Knocked A Few Walls Down And Revealed It Used To Be A Hollywood Video

    Cool building conversion: gym under renovation with Hollywood-themed carpet, ladder, and cleaning supplies.

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    #20

    My Hotel Used To Be A Prison

    Cozy room inside a building conversion with stone walls, a green headboard, and wooden floors.

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    #21

    This Massive Library In Barcelona Is Built In What Was Formerly A Water Deposit Built In 1874

    Interior of a converted building with arched brick walls, featuring a long communal table and modern lighting.

    The pillars and vaults, inspired by the Romans, are this large as the water was held in a pool on the roof

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    #22

    My Apartment For The Night In Porto, Portugal Has A Preserved 12th Century Wall And Staircase Encased In The Bedroom

    Modern building conversion with glass walls integrating natural rock features.

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    #23

    This Old School NYC Subway Entrance Got Turned Into A Subway Entrance

    Subway entrance converted into a restaurant, showcasing creative building conversions.

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    #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

    Cool building conversion: former entrance transformed into a decorative insect hotel with wood and brick elements.

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    #25

    Our Table At The Local Cafe Is Positioned Over A Medieval Well

    Illuminated converted building interior with exposed bricks and reflective surfaces, showcasing architectural transformations.

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    #26

    Stayed In A Boeing 747 Converted To A Hostel At Arlanda Airport, Sweden (Jumbo Stay)

    Airplane converted into a hotel room with bunk beds and a ladder, showcasing innovative building conversions.

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    #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)

    Indoor rock climbing wall in a converted church, showcasing a unique building conversion.

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    #28

    Vermont Converted Barn - Cozy Living Room

    Rustic barn conversion with cozy seating, candles, and large windows overlooking greenery.

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    #29

    This Church Has Been Converted Into A Bar

    Interior of a converted church now a bar, showcasing unique building conversions with elegant lighting and decor.

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    #30

    A Fantastic Looking Building

    Art Deco Hoover Building converted into modern apartments with green accents under a blue sky.

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    #31

    Synagogue Turned Into A Café In Trnava, Slovakia

    Modern library in a converted historic building with elegant chandeliers and comfy seating, showcasing a cool building conversion.

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    #32

    Juerg Judin House, Berlin, Germany. Was Originally A Gas Station Built In The 1950s

    Mid-century modern building conversion surrounded by lush greenery.

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    #33

    A Supermarket In An Old Theater In Venice, Italy

    Historic building conversion into a supermarket with ornate ceiling art and shelves of goods.

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    #34

    Cozy Converted Church I Stayed In

    Converted building interior with loft, chic bathroom, cozy fireplace with wine, and lush garden view. Coolest building conversions.

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    #35

    The Carvings Around My Doorframe - 18th Century Converted Manor

    Cat sleeping on a decorated table in a beautifully converted building with ornate walls and festive lights.

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    #36

    Every Apartment In This Block Has Been Turned Into A Cafe Or Restaurant

    Cool building conversion featuring multiple cafes and shops in a modern, multi-story structure with greenery.

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    #37

    A Trampoline Park Inside A Former Church

    Indoor trampoline park in converted building with children playing, showcasing unique building conversions.

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    #38

    My Hotel Used To Be A Prison

    Industrial building conversion into modern interior with metal railings and patterned carpets, featuring skylight ceiling.

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    #39

    A Grocery Store Inside A 3rd Century Roman Imperial Palace In Croatia

    Supermarket inside ancient building with stone columns and glass floor, showcasing unique building conversions.

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    #40

    One Of Our Local Libraries Moved Into An Old Marsh Supermarket

    Library bookshelves inside a repurposed supermarket, showcasing a building conversion.

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