5 Examples of Upcycling in Architecture. | Aug 3rd, 2021.
In 2012, the construction industry generated approximately 1.3 billion tons of waste. That number is expected to swell to 2.2 billion tons by 2025. The vast majority of this waste comes from the six major building materials — brick, concrete, steel, glass, wood, and plastic — and the rising consumption of these resources makes their efficient reuse a necessity. This is why upcycling in architecture has become so emphasized — and given recent trends, it is unlikely to go away any time soon.
Thankfully, architects are resourceful people, and creating innovative and dazzling designs from drab raw materials is part of what they do best. It should come as no surprise that when these construction artists apply their ingenuity to upcycling in architecture, the result is a building with an aesthetic appeal that matches (and even exceeds) its structural soundness. Here are some of our favorites.
1. Zero Waste Bistro
Built to showcase the function and beauty of sustainable building practices, Zero Waste Bistro was exhibited at WantedDesign during NYCxDesign in 2018. Designed by Harri Koskinen in consultation with Linda Bergroth, the Finnish restaurant features a narrow, vaulted dining space complete with arches reminiscent of a medieval banquet hall. The feel is compounded further by a mosaic-patterned wall, ceiling, table, and floor that is made from a recycled milk carton material called Tetra-Pak instead of marble.
The inseparable tie between environmental stewardship and food supply has prompted Zero Waste Bistro to push the boundaries of its recycled structure into a fully sustainable business model. Parts of this philosophy include:
- The use of local and organic ingredients in every dish
- Incorporation of lesser-known food sources into the cuisine
- Composting of leftovers
- Use of dishes made from recycled plastic
- Wastewater reduction
- Elimination of wasteful packaging
This Finnish bistro is not only a feast to the senses but also a testimony to all the value that a circular economy brings to those who embrace it.
2. The Solar Pavilion
Designed by SITU Studio in New York in 2008, the Solar Pavilion is an architectural display of the creative genius that is unleashed when students and workers collaborate and let their imaginations soar.
Three solar pavilions have been created to date — each one varying significantly from the others. The first was the inaugural piece designed to show how engaging and stable flexible structures can be. Created solely from cardboard from used carpet rolls, Solar Pavilion 1 delivered a dazzling interplay between sunlight and shadow and was bolted together and supported by the surrounding cardboard tubes.
Solar Pavilion 2 sought further to explore the properties of everyday building materials but using plywood. Making use of continuous connection profiles, a piece can be joined at any point with any other piece within the structure. Thie pieces are held together simply by a tie-strap connection.
Solar Pavilion 3 made further use of upcycled materials, creating an artistic structure of 2,500 plywood boards knitted together by a biodegradable vinyl fabric network. It was designed to show that what was once wasted wood and plastic can be restored to a piece of art.
3. Reclaimed Modern
Upcycling in architecture doesn’t just take place on a commercial scale. Designed by Dwell Development in 2014, this Seattle private residence was built upon the principles of sustainable design architecture. It was created to integrate elements of the surrounding landscape into the home. The result was a sleek, elegant mixture of postmodern exterior design and rustic countryside coziness.
Some of the most enjoyable touches include:
- A flagstone pathway made from the reclaimed concrete of a nearby parking lot
- Repurposed salvaged wood and corrugated metal from an abandoned barn in the nearby Willamette valley.
- Eco-friendly building systems like solar panels, heat recovery ventilation (HRV), and pervious concrete to absorb rainwater for plants to create a net-zero building.
A combination of style and stewardship, this Reclaimed Modern home shows that conscience and class need not be at odds.
4. Bang Brewing
Sometimes upcycling isn’t just a way of preserving building materials — it may make for a superior function in the first place. The first 100% organic brewery in the Midwest, Bang Brewing opened in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2013 with the help of Alchemy Architects. They sought to design a space that fit both their vision and their needs.
By opting for a pre-fab grain silo, the brewery was able to maximize its ratio of volume to the external surface area, giving it optimal room for equipment. The high plumbing and high-quality floor required by many breweries were facilitated by the metal structure, and the sloped roof offered improved heat transfer for better cooling and ventilation.
In addition to the practical elements of their grain silo design, the mismatched timber boards gave the brewery a modern yet rustic feel consistent with its midwestern roots.
5. House of Trash
We may be a bit partial to this next one, but we believe we’ve saved the best for last. Built in 2018 in conjunction with Pentatonic, Miniwiz’s very own House of Trash in Milan is a 360-degree testament to the artistic and functional potential of upcycled materials in one of the architectural capitals of the world.
“House of Trash” project in Milan. A space created with upcycled waste.
With every single component of this architectural gem made from upcycled waste, it is hard to overstate the prevalence of restored building materials within the House of Trash. A few of the high points include:
- Foodstuffs like packaging and coffee cups are made from post-consumer waste.
- Prototype displays of Pentatonic’s AirTool Soft, a product line of modular fabrics derived from upcycled trash.
- Decorative furniture and fixtures created by upcycled plastics.
Perhaps the most notable contribution of the House of Trash is not one specific product made from upcycled materials, but that it provides a space for future eco-innovators to display their environmental solutions and collaborate with like-minded stewards. It also aims to raise awareness of the need for upcycling in architecture.
Both an incubator and a loudspeaker, the House of Trash conveys the merit and urgency of adopting an environmentally conscious circular economy in a way that no other structure does.
Upcycling in Architecture: Tomorrow’s Structures Built Today
The current rate of wasted building materials that goes into landfills each year is unsustainable in every sense of the word — but thankfully, there’s a better way forward. Whether the motive is upcycling for environmental friendliness or upcycling for profit, transforming yesterday’s waste into newer, better building materials is a smarter solution all around.
We understand this at Miniwiz, and we’re proud to be an industry leader in forging a more sustainable architectural climate for businesses and civilians alike. Check out some of our other recycling solutions today, and see how we can transform your trash into treasure.
Keywords:
upcycling in architecture. sustainable design architecture, upcycling for profit, upcycling, recycling, architecture.
Meta description: With most of the world’s waste coming from the construction industry, it’s appropriate that those who design the buildings we use find solutions to use the leftovers. A few pioneers have found creative and effective solutions to our material crisis and designed some of the most dazzling examples of upcycling in architecture today.