It has always bothered me that the humble renovation has never quite been regarded as an architect's highest professional achievement. Scale aside, it has mostly to do with our belief in the architectural icon and all the image and accolades building one brings us: renovations simply do not sit well with the blue bloods, the expected purity of an architectural wonder. Let us, however, give this more thought for a moment. A renovation takes into account existing services, structure, enclosure, windows, walls, poop pipes and the drip tubes in a pre-existing condition of a possible aesthetic mess. Renovations take all that slop and, with as little cost sapping change as possible to the original, repackage it into a form that works well, maintains efficiently, allows for change and looks aesthetically effortless. Simply put, the underrated renovation is the artist's equivalent of nerve surgery; it puts to test the completeness of one's abilities and the leaps of imagination necessary in bringing old together with new in an final balletic package of beauty: the sublime test of every architect's skill.
The excuses architects give for turning away renovation work is because of the time consumed, the relatively little payback with regard to economy of scale, and the inability of a renovation to truly showcase their abilities. However, I believe it is rather because renovations are too difficult for most to handle, that only the most accomplished understand and know how to deal with the complexity of an existing situation and how it gives depth to the reading of their work. Carrying off a renovation skillfully marks the men from the boys. Many think that the design of an icon is what constitutes greatness. It would be well worth their time cutting their teeth on a renovation.