The Cast Iron District in New York City marks influential transitions from traditional masonry into modern steel construction and from the process of manufacturing individual parts to the mass-production of multi-purpose (structural, weather barrier, decoratative) modular building components. Though protected by historic preservation initiatives, there is no guarantee that land-value will not overcome intrinsic-value, pressuring either adaptation or complete redevelopment.
Among others, the Japanese Metabolists of the 1960Õs conceptualized premanufactured blocks inserted within a framework where an entire building or parts of buildings could be added or removed on demand. The Metabolists tapped into an idea that could be applied not only at the city and megastructure scale, but also at the scale of existing buildings throughout cities. By interpreting a building as a piece within the framework of the city, a historic building holds the potential for full adaptation with the future city.