There is no need to look to centuries past for models of circular economy architecture
There are many forgotten tangents in the recent history of architecture that from a circular economy perspective can seem surprisingly fresh and possess development potential, writes Kristo Vesikansa in Re-use issue editorial.
OVER THE PAST YEAR, I have had numerous thought-provoking discussions with architectural colleagues who have visited Denmark, about the Thoravej 29 renovation project in Copenhagen designed by Pihlmann Architects. Some consider the transformation of a 1960s factory building into the premises of a financially sound art foundation to be the most ambitious thing that circular economy architecture has seen in our field to date, while others see it as a self-serving gimmick that makes no contribution to the wider dissemination of this way of thinking.
The conflicting reactions clearly highlight one particular dilemma of circular economy architecture: How meaningful is it to invest in spectacular pioneering projects like Thoravej 29 that test technical and economic boundaries, create new kinds of aesthetics, and possibly inspire others to new ways of working? Would it be more important to change everyday practices in the construction industry in small steps, even if it means a more conventional form language and less photogenetic projects? We have also balanced these questions while working on this issue.
In any case, it is obvious that the transition to a circular economy will have a significant impact on the nature of architectural design in the near future. Instead of abstract ideas and concepts, the design process must start from actual, existing building components or, alternatively, the plans should be left so general that they can be implemented from almost any available recycled materials. In addition, projects should be designed in such a way that building components can later be removed and reused without causing damage.
One of the most significant changes brought about by the circular economy is the focus on materials and their properties, even to the extent that they threaten to overshadow other values in architecture. In their research article “The new aesthetics of circular architecture” published last year, Aalto University Associate Professor Antti Lehto and Senior University Lecturer Sanna Lehtinen argued that circular economy architecture should not only recognize the value of materials but also pay attention to the meaning-making and sensuosity.
As an excellent example of such a threefold connection, Lehto and Lehtinen cite Peter Zumthor’s Swiss Pavilion designed for the Hanover World Expo in 2000. The pavilion, consisting of stacks of timber that were reused after the exhibition, was simultaneously a protest against the disposable culture represented by the event and a powerful multi-sensory experience created by the labyrinthine spaces of varying dimensions, the sounds that echoed in them, the smell of fresh wood, and the rays of light that fell between the wooden beams. I vividly remember the physical experience the pavilion created, although I didn’t quite grasp its ideological message at the time.
One of the most significant changes brought about by the circular economy is the focus on materials and their properties.
Zumthor’s pavilion is a fitting reminder that there are many forgotten tangents in the recent history of architecture that from a circular economy perspective can seem surprisingly fresh and possess development potential. For some reason, however, it has been much more popular to look for examples of this way of thinking from distant history, such as the reuse of ancient building fragments in the Middle Ages or our own centuries-old tradition of moving log houses to new locations as a result of land reforms, inheritance settlements and urban growth. At some point in the future, when the history of Finnish circular economy architecture is written, one of its landmark works, along with traditional buildings, should be architect Kaarlo Viljanen’s own house near Vaasa. He has been gradually building his complex over more than forty years, from parts he salvaged from demolition and renovation sites and scrap dealers, and the readers of the Finnish Architectural Review now have a unique opportunity to peek inside this carefully guarded treasure.
Another longer article expands on the theme of repurposing architectural ideas. Marc Goodwin, a renowned architectural photographer working in different parts of Europe, has observed a trend that has been simultaneously emerging across the continent, characterized by a highly disciplined design, ornamentation, and free interpretations of historical themes. In his essay, Goodwin considers on the one hand the phenomenon’s relationship to the postmodernism of the 1980s and, on the other hand, to recent changes in the field of photography.
The projects presented in this issue include completed projects as well as projects planned and under construction from different sectors of the circular economy and at different scales. The selection includes repairs and modifications of old buildings, the reuse of recycled parts, and combinations of both. The projects also highlight the variations in the means of expression of current Finnish circular economy architecture.
Also these might interest you
Advert
