Reuse on the plot: Project description

Reuse on the Plot is a research project that aims to address some of the major challenges in sustainable construction. The direct reuse of materials from existing buildings on the same site has been recognized as one of the most environmentally friendly practices, but it faces two main obstacles. First, reused materials are unique and differ from new ones, which complicates traditional construction processes. Second, there are often both legitimate and unfounded concerns about contamination, such as asbestos or PCB. The project seeks to overcome these barriers by providing architects with access to environmental screening data and visualized data from non-destructive testing, giving them a better understanding of how reused materials can be applied — even before they are moved or integrated into existing structural systems.

The project’s hypothesis is to simplify the design process for reusing existing materials on-site, which is currently complex and difficult to navigate. By increasing the amount of direct reuse, we can reduce emissions. Future building projects will require more time and reflection to analyze and assess reuse opportunities, potentially leading to a more informed and artistic design process with minimal environmental impact. The project explores how the architect’s design process changes when available reused materials are considered and when visualized data — previously inaccessible — becomes part of the process.

The method for investigating this is through an experiment based on the principles of the circular economy. The project begins with a full-scale case that represents a current challenge in the transformation or renovation of a specific building type. A catalogue of ideas is developed with design proposals based on the materials available on-site and the potential for reuse on the plot. This process is repeated annually with new cases, and the project goes through two to three iterations, each improved by the insights gained from previous ones.

The purpose of the project is to examine how the architect’s design process evolves when new forms of data become available. How will aesthetics and building culture develop when the design process prioritizes the reuse of building materials directly on-site? Through close collaboration with demolition companies and reused-material suppliers, the project will also provide valuable feedback on how available materials can best be represented and utilized.

• Projekttitel: Genbrug på matriklen
• Projektleder (kontakt): Lotte Bjerregaard Jensen
• Eksterne partnere: Danmarks Tekniske Universitet, Effekt Arkitekter, Cebra, Anna Mette Exner Arkitektur, Arkitema, JJW Arkitekter, Søren Jensen Rådg. Ing., Kingo Karlsen, P. Olesen, JDH byg, Videncenter for Cirkulær Økonomi i Byggeriet, GreenDozer, MILVA, SLETH.
• Deltagende Arkitektskolen Aarhus forskere: Anders Kruse Aagaard, Niels Martin Larsen, Jon Andersen, Oskar Holst Kurtzweil, Vilius Thorsgaard Frølunde-Vizgaudis, Peer Thue Näthke
• Projektet er støttet af Realdania