How the Circular Economy Applies to Architecture

Based in the Netherlands, Superuse Studios changed the way that one might think about recycled or reused material. Instead of focusing on single-use consumer products, this studio focuses on a larger-scale product that all of us use very frequently: Buildings.

A design is not considered as the beginning of a linear, but circular process: a phase in a continuous cycle of creation and recreation, use and reuse (Superuse Studios, n.d.).

Superuse calls searching, finding and dismantling reusable building materials ‘harvesting’. For this purpose, Superuse founded the platform oogstkaart.nl in 2012. This marketplace for reusable building materials is used by Superuse itself and by external architects, design professionals, builders and project developers (Superuse Studios, n.d.).

For the project Buitenplaats Brienenoord both locally harvested materials and externally harvested materials were used. 90% of the materials were released during the demolition of the scouting building that was present on the site, for example the foundation, trusses, window frames and woodwork (Superuse Studios, n.d.).

But what if a building is too new to be demolished? Or perhaps the necessary resources can't be allocated? Superuse Studios can also manage directing reuse cases for the existing building, without demolition.

Demolishing a building costs a lot of energy, so Superuse’s strategy is to reuse an entire building wherever possible. Here, we do not only mean renovating, but we often work on a complete change of function. Of course with the preservation of as many valuable parts of the old building as possible (Superuse Studios, n.d.).

We keep all installations for heating and electricity separate from other built-in parts according to the layer model of Stewart Brand, so that maintenance is easy and future changes are possible. By thinking in terms of layers with different lifespans, we literally create a layered building (Superuse Studios, n.d.).

Another strategy that Superuse Studios works with is the idea of demountable construction, or detachability.

Materials can then be reused not just once, but continuously. Therefore, it is important that buildings and building elements are designed and built in a way that allows them to be detached (Superuse Studios, n.d.).

Superuse therefore designs as much as possible... with demountable connections that ensure that materials and building elements can be released without damage during maintenance or at the end of their lifespan (Superuse Studios, n.d.).

A few interesting points jump out from this business model. Primarily, the idea of recycling and reusing something like a building can completely change the way that people view the circular economy. While this isn't viewed as a "call to action" to start recycling your own buildings, it can be seen as a window into how you can apply these principles to your own life. In other words, how can one apply Superuse Studios' circular practices to, say, a product that they own or a service that they take part in?

References

About us. (n.d.). Superuse Studios.
https://www.superuse-studios.com/about-us/