The adaptive reuse of historic buildings into contemporary office spaces prompts intriguing inquiries regarding its impact on employee satisfaction and workplace culture. This study explores the potential of adaptive reuse to transform historic buildings into functional, sustainable offices, using Erbil Citadel houses as a base for the study. Through this research study, user preferences and perceptions of the integration of historical features into the modern work environment were examined. Quantitative data were extracted from 60 survey respondents and analyzed in terms of medians, modes and the analysis of key themes, such as historical aesthetics, employee creativity, work satisfaction and environmental factors, including natural light and airflow. The findings emphasize the equilibrium between safeguarding the cultural heritage of the historical structure and the requirements of contemporary office environments. The findings underscore the need for sustainable practices and technological integration to enhance workplace functionality and team well-being, particularly in shared spaces. This paper highlights the importance of decision makers’ perspectives on heritage conservation, stressing the necessity for a culturally attuned and sustainable reuse strategy that addresses community requirements. This study offers a methodological framework for reconciling historical narratives with modern office requirements while also addressing broader discussions on adaptive reuse and the potential for enhancing workplace quality.

Since 1947, apartment buildings have made their apparition in the Kosovar city landscape. Different aspects have been highlighted by this extensive research: the different types of architecture and their respective characteristics, the modifications made to them throughout the years and the factors, which contributed to these modifications. These buildings have been divided into two categories, the older buildings built by the public sector from 1947 until 1999 and the recent ones built from 1999 until the present time by the private sector. Analytical and comparative methods have been used to conduct this research. The results revealed that the living area in apartment buildings built after 1999 has been reduced compared to those built earlier, which implies a general trend of decrease of habitable living space. In addition to this, a change worth mentioning in the functionality of these apartment buildings has been noticed. A survey sent to Kosovar citizens was used in order to obtain their opinions on this subject.