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While my renovation means getting a new rug from Ikea, changing a lightbulb that’s been out of order for the past year (or five, if I’m being totally honest), and keeping my succulents alive, some people turn it into an art form.

Welcome to the inspiring collection of renovations that deserve their own place in history compiled by Bored Panda. From the abandoned church that’s been remade into a skater’s dream park to a defunct subway entrance that’s been cleverly turned into an actual entry to the Subway eatery, and it only gets better.

Scroll down, upvote your favorite remakes and repurposed buildings, and be sure to check out our previous posts with some more wonderful building conversions right here.

#1

Moved Here 4 Years Ago. Converted Victorian Church In England. Love This Room

Moved Here 4 Years Ago. Converted Victorian Church In England. Love This Room

misterzeee Report

#2

Stone Observatory Tower Converted To A Home

Stone Observatory Tower Converted To A Home

reddit.com Report

#3

The Building Used For The Swimming Events At The 2008 Summer Olympics In Beijing Was Transformed Into This Dope-Looking Waterpark

The Building Used For The Swimming Events At The 2008 Summer Olympics In Beijing Was Transformed Into This Dope-Looking Waterpark

TheTwoSeventeen Report

When we think of architecture, we start picturing an entire complex process that gets to make a building from zero. But very often, architects work with what they’re already given, whether it’s defunct objects or abandoned buildings, and they have to work their way around them to give these ghosts an entirely new meaning and purpose.

Repurposed buildings also have power to revitalize communities. It often happens when industrial structures like old factories are remodeled into community centers—sites of leisure.

#4

In Germany There Is Waterpark Called Tropical Islands. It's A Literal Tropical Island Built Inside An Old Blimp Hangar

In Germany There Is Waterpark Called Tropical Islands. It's A Literal Tropical Island Built Inside An Old Blimp Hangar

reddit.com Report

#5

Gas Station Greenhouse

Gas Station Greenhouse

ansquaremet Report

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#6

My Gym Used To Be Part Of An Asylum Complex. The Pool Used To Be A Church And The Confession Booths Are Now A Sauna

My Gym Used To Be Part Of An Asylum Complex. The Pool Used To Be A Church And The Confession Booths Are Now A Sauna

loopy53 Report

According to Kaelan Burkett, an author at Architizer, “repurposed buildings are not simply reincarnations of their former selves; an arts center does not have the same relationship to a community as a factory.”

“But these projects do not act as replacements or departures from what preceded them, either. When architecture is successfully repurposed, it does not hide its history, but instead becomes a relic, projecting its identity into a new age, and embodying the contradictory qualities of tradition and innovation, of preservation and progress.”

#7

Vienna Gasometers: Gas Storage Tanks First Built In 1896 And Converted Into Mixed-Use Developments Between 1995 And 2001

Vienna Gasometers: Gas Storage Tanks First Built In 1896 And Converted Into Mixed-Use Developments Between 1995 And 2001

archineering Report

#8

Niccolò Paganini Auditorium, Parma, Italy, An Abandoned Sugar Factory Converted Into A Concert Hall By Renzo Piano In 1996

Niccolò Paganini Auditorium, Parma, Italy, An Abandoned Sugar Factory Converted Into A Concert Hall By Renzo Piano In 1996

archineering , teatroregioparma Report

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#9

This Abandoned Church Was Purchased By Skaters And Renovated Into A Dream Park

This Abandoned Church Was Purchased By Skaters And Renovated Into A Dream Park

BirchTainer Report

Kaelan also claims that repurposing architecture is not a new concept. For example, “The Hagia Sophia has been rebuilt, redesigned and redecorated many times in its lives as a church, mosque and museum. Similarly, the Kremlin has housed many regimes since its 14th-century construction, and undergone a corresponding evolution of forms.” In such cases, the changing roles of architecture often reflect or enforce political ideologies and claims to power.

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#10

My New Apartment Still Has The Original Molding From When It Was A Hotel Ballroom In 1923

My New Apartment Still Has The Original Molding From When It Was A Hotel Ballroom In 1923

vlcnus Report

#11

Dublin: An 11th Century Viking Well And Stone Under A Local Shop

Dublin: An 11th Century Viking Well And Stone Under A Local Shop

Parisduonce Report

#12

Stamba Hotel, Tbilisi, Georgia, Designed In 2018 By Adjara Group And Located In An Old Printing House

Stamba Hotel, Tbilisi, Georgia, Designed In 2018 By Adjara Group And Located In An Old Printing House

archineering Report

#13

These Two UK Phone Booths Have Been Repurposed

These Two UK Phone Booths Have Been Repurposed

axnu Report

#14

The Hospital I Work For Was Originally Designed To Be A Hotel

The Hospital I Work For Was Originally Designed To Be A Hotel

reoltlaonc Report

#15

My House Turned 101 Today (Originally A 1920’s Corner Grocery)

My House Turned 101 Today (Originally A 1920’s Corner Grocery)

haganwalker Report

#16

My Town’s Library Is Under Construction, So They’re Using An Old Grocery Store As The Temporary Library

My Town’s Library Is Under Construction, So They’re Using An Old Grocery Store As The Temporary Library

pooshins Report

#17

This Defunct Subway Entrance Is A Working Subway Entrance

This Defunct Subway Entrance Is A Working Subway Entrance

handsgrubber Report

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#18

A Former Grain Silo In Oslo, Now Converted To Student Housing

A Former Grain Silo In Oslo, Now Converted To Student Housing

heythere011 Report

#19

The Grand Concourse Built In 1898. Once Train Station Is Now A Restaurant In Pittsburgh, PA

The Grand Concourse Built In 1898. Once Train Station Is Now A Restaurant In Pittsburgh, PA

Dry_Way4135 Report

#20

This McDonald's In New Zealand Has A Decommissioned Plane You Can Dine In

This McDonald's In New Zealand Has A Decommissioned Plane You Can Dine In

timfox1 Report

#21

A Ship's Bridge That Has Been Removed And Converted Into A House

A Ship's Bridge That Has Been Removed And Converted Into A House

Washpedantic Report

#22

Regional Coffee Chain Buys Gas Station, Uses Car Wash As Drive Through

Regional Coffee Chain Buys Gas Station, Uses Car Wash As Drive Through

dephanitly Report

#23

Old Church Turned Into A 24/7 Pancake Restaurant

Old Church Turned Into A 24/7 Pancake Restaurant

ThatOldGuyWhoDrinks Report

#24

Old Bank Was Transformed Into A Hotel, They Kept The Vault As A Meeting Room

Old Bank Was Transformed Into A Hotel, They Kept The Vault As A Meeting Room

WoollyMonster Report

#25

This Hotel Is An Old Prison

This Hotel Is An Old Prison

pistrel Report

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#26

In The UK, Redundant Telephone Boxes Are Being Repurposed As Public Defibrillators

In The UK, Redundant Telephone Boxes Are Being Repurposed As Public Defibrillators

skillian Report

#27

My Girlfriend’s Office Used To Be A Bowling Alley. The Original Lanes Are Still There

My Girlfriend’s Office Used To Be A Bowling Alley. The Original Lanes Are Still There

joestn Report

#28

This Hotel Is Built Out Of Train Cars

This Hotel Is Built Out Of Train Cars

Cessnateur Report

#29

The Old Don Jail (1864) In Toronto Converted Into Offices For The Newly Built Hospital Beside It In 2013

The Old Don Jail (1864) In Toronto Converted Into Offices For The Newly Built Hospital Beside It In 2013

sledgehammer_77 Report

#30

Old Silo In Söderköping, Sweden, Repurposed As Housing

Old Silo In Söderköping, Sweden, Repurposed As Housing

paulplutt Report

#31

McDonald's In The Art Deco Former "United Kingdom Hotel", Clifton Hill, Melbourne, Australia

McDonald's In The Art Deco Former "United Kingdom Hotel", Clifton Hill, Melbourne, Australia

IceColdFrozenDrip Report

#32

These Apartments Used To Be A YMCA

These Apartments Used To Be A YMCA

chumleesdog Report

#33

Old Church Converted Into A Gym

Old Church Converted Into A Gym

Runikal Report

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#34

A Smartphone Repair Office Inside A Telephone Box North Of Holborn Station

A Smartphone Repair Office Inside A Telephone Box North Of Holborn Station

Kuzu9 Report

#35

Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre: A Former Commodities Exchange With A 750-Seat Theatre 'Pod' Tucked Inside. The Theatre Opened In 1976

Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre: A Former Commodities Exchange With A 750-Seat Theatre 'Pod' Tucked Inside. The Theatre Opened In 1976

SirJohnUmfrevile Report

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#36

Wynnewood Barns, Once A Streetcar Barn Is Now A Community Centre/Artspace/Event Hall With Affordable Housing For Artists As Well

Wynnewood Barns, Once A Streetcar Barn Is Now A Community Centre/Artspace/Event Hall With Affordable Housing For Artists As Well

The dark grey lines are where the streetcar tracks used to be.

sledgehammer_77 Report

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#37

This Covid-19 Testing Station In Calgary Is Inside An Old Rona Store

This Covid-19 Testing Station In Calgary Is Inside An Old Rona Store

Stegosaurus_Peas Report

#38

Mills In Buffalo From Industrial Revolution Protected From Full Demolition And Converted Into Art/Public Entertainment Space

Mills In Buffalo From Industrial Revolution Protected From Full Demolition And Converted Into Art/Public Entertainment Space

hangrydicappucino Report

#39

Another Historic Tesco: The Perivale Store Is In The Grade II* Hoover Building, A 1933 Art Deco Masterpiece

Another Historic Tesco: The Perivale Store Is In The Grade II* Hoover Building, A 1933 Art Deco Masterpiece

Chris Sampson Report

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#40

Good Morning From My New Neighborhood’s Trader Joe’s

Good Morning From My New Neighborhood’s Trader Joe’s

justkiddingmumu Report

#41

This Game Store Is A Converted Bank

This Game Store Is A Converted Bank

Bronze_Lemur Report

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#42

Former Woolworths, Now A Walgreens. It Feels Like A Happy Accident That The Historic "W" Letter Still Works For The Building

Former Woolworths, Now A Walgreens. It Feels Like A Happy Accident That The Historic "W" Letter Still Works For The Building

methodwriter85 Report

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#43

Carpet With Tracks In A Hotel In An Old Train Station

Carpet With Tracks In A Hotel In An Old Train Station

miaaowwow Report

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#44

This Parking Garage Was Once A Theater

This Parking Garage Was Once A Theater

BoxBopChallenge Report

#45

Brooklyn Army Terminal: Was A Rail Freight Yard, Now Individual Office Spaces

Brooklyn Army Terminal: Was A Rail Freight Yard, Now Individual Office Spaces

deadeye614 Report

#46

This Hotel's Breakfast Lounge Is Inside An Old Bank Vault

This Hotel's Breakfast Lounge Is Inside An Old Bank Vault

Matt_T024 Report

#47

Old Bank Turned Into McDonald's In Kristiansand, Norway

Old Bank Turned Into McDonald's In Kristiansand, Norway

Shell-fish Report

#48

The 1929 Tammany Hall Building. Once The Headquarters Of NYC’s Most Notorious Political Machine, It Has Been Converted Into Offices With A Modern Glass Addition

The 1929 Tammany Hall Building. Once The Headquarters Of NYC’s Most Notorious Political Machine, It Has Been Converted Into Offices With A Modern Glass Addition

Imipolex42 Report

#49

While The Library Is Under Construction, An Old Grocery Store Is Being Used As A Temporary Library

While The Library Is Under Construction, An Old Grocery Store Is Being Used As A Temporary Library

sjthree Report

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#50

1883 Opera House Now A Market And Bakery In Florence, Kansas

1883 Opera House Now A Market And Bakery In Florence, Kansas

astraennui Report

#51

This Fast Food Drive Thru Used To Be A Car Wash

This Fast Food Drive Thru Used To Be A Car Wash

garagehirohata Report

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#52

Former Movie Theatre, Now A Library

Former Movie Theatre, Now A Library

ForgingIron Report

#53

This Old Bowling Alley Was Turned Into A Thrift Store In Canton, OH

This Old Bowling Alley Was Turned Into A Thrift Store In Canton, OH

drewkazizzle Report

#54

This School In My Town Was Transformed Into Apartments. I Think It's From The 1890s

This School In My Town Was Transformed Into Apartments. I Think It's From The 1890s

An00bisOsiris Report

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#55

Our Locally Owned Movie Theatre Finally Gave Up And Is Becoming A Sports Bar

Our Locally Owned Movie Theatre Finally Gave Up And Is Becoming A Sports Bar

Musicferret Report

#56

This Old Bank Turned To CVS In Manhattan

This Old Bank Turned To CVS In Manhattan

Ferrari5746 Report

#57

Armory In West Philadelphia Repurposed As US Squash National Training Center

Armory In West Philadelphia Repurposed As US Squash National Training Center

phiarc Report

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#58

Former Hot Topic Now Veterans Museum Denton, TX

Former Hot Topic Now Veterans Museum Denton, TX

hipsterdaddyo Report

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#59

Hotel We Are Staying At In Newark Was Once A Bank

Hotel We Are Staying At In Newark Was Once A Bank

thefonswithans Report

#60

Jail Cell To Brewery Storage Room

Jail Cell To Brewery Storage Room

ssfoxx27 Report

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#61

Old Estate By My House Was Converted To A McDonald's

Old Estate By My House Was Converted To A McDonald's

Reasonable_Tell3228 Report

#62

Holy Cross Fit

Holy Cross Fit

oczysrebrne1 Report

#63

Urban Outfitters That Used To Be A Savings Bank - Northampton, Ma

Urban Outfitters That Used To Be A Savings Bank - Northampton, Ma

wrinkle-crease Report

#64

Former McDonald's Is Jumbo's Pub And Grill, On The Boardwalk Of Wildwood New Jersey

Former McDonald's Is Jumbo's Pub And Grill, On The Boardwalk Of Wildwood New Jersey

markaritaville Report

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#65

This Little Caesars That Used To Be An Auto Shop

This Little Caesars That Used To Be An Auto Shop

QueenGoodra Report

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#66

This Thrift Store Is An Old Bowling Alley

This Thrift Store Is An Old Bowling Alley

USAFIDMT Report

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#67

The Scottsdale Bank Building In Connellsville, PA. The Building Originally Built For The West Penn Railway And Served As Both A Station And Offices

The Scottsdale Bank Building In Connellsville, PA. The Building Originally Built For The West Penn Railway And Served As Both A Station And Offices

West Penn operated from 1904 to 1952 and was an electric interurban, or trolley line, that ran in southwestern Pennsylvania.

AGuyFromMaryland Report

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#68

Former Arby's In Boynton Beach, Florida, Now A Funeral Home

Former Arby's In Boynton Beach, Florida, Now A Funeral Home

KrispyKayak Report

#69

CVS Pharmacy Used To Be A Theatre, East Los Angeles, CA

CVS Pharmacy Used To Be A Theatre, East Los Angeles, CA

NERPG Report

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#70

Not Sure If This Fits. But Pretty Cool. Taco Bell In A Former Bank. Muncie, IN

Not Sure If This Fits. But Pretty Cool. Taco Bell In A Former Bank. Muncie, IN

jordss20 Report

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#71

Little Caesar's Pizza In A Former Sonic Drive-In

Little Caesar's Pizza In A Former Sonic Drive-In

KrispyKayak Report

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#72

The Disney Store Of Inland Center Is Now A Furniture Store. You Can Still See The Outlines Of The Film Reels Around The Entrance, And Mickey Shapes Etched Onto The Windows

The Disney Store Of Inland Center Is Now A Furniture Store. You Can Still See The Outlines Of The Film Reels Around The Entrance, And Mickey Shapes Etched Onto The Windows

360inMotion Report

#73

Former Pizza Hut In Albany, Oregon. Now House Of Noodle

Former Pizza Hut In Albany, Oregon. Now House Of Noodle

Hoosier_Oregonian Report

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#74

Former Sonic Drive-In Converted To A Dominos - Maumelle, Arkansas

Former Sonic Drive-In Converted To A Dominos - Maumelle, Arkansas

KrispyKayak Report

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#75

Dunkin’ Donuts Drive Thru In A Former Gas Station Car Wash

Dunkin’ Donuts Drive Thru In A Former Gas Station Car Wash

ICA2015 Report

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#76

Starbucks In A Former Gas Station - Miami, Florida

Starbucks In A Former Gas Station - Miami, Florida

KrispyKayak Report

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#77

Church That Used To Be A Toys R Us In Bridgeport, WV

Church That Used To Be A Toys R Us In Bridgeport, WV

jonbmx3 Report

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#78

This Old Gas Station With A Car Wash Was Converted Into A Caribou Coffee Drive Thru

This Old Gas Station With A Car Wash Was Converted Into A Caribou Coffee Drive Thru

ApoIIoJon Report

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#79

2-For-1: Repurposed Original Taco Bell And An Old IHOP

2-For-1: Repurposed Original Taco Bell And An Old IHOP

reddit.com Report

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#80

This Drive Thru Is Inside An Old Car Wash

This Drive Thru Is Inside An Old Car Wash

realcanadianbeaver Report

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