Circular economy

Materials kept in use — reclaimed, disassembled, returned.

7 entries

Modern block home constructed from terracotta-colored concrete and textured bricks, surrounded by sparse desert vegetation.

Material Notes

Casa de la Madera: Arts and Crafts Timber Framing in Mexico

Casa de la Madera, a 1920s Mexican hacienda country estate, reinterprets Japanese machiya principles through Arts and Crafts timber framing, emphasizing circular design.

14 Aug 2026

Close-up, worm's-eye view of an illuminated timber soffit with dark metal framing and glass windows at night.

Construction Diaries

Kikuchi Kengo: The Georgian Retreat and Anodised Aluminium

This piece examines Kikuchi Kengo's Tokyo studio retreat, a Georgian-era project integrating anodised aluminium rainscreen and principles of circularity for future adaptability.

9 Aug 2026

A modern courtyard of concrete, stone, and wood-paneled walls features a large rock formation with carved openings in the bac

Transformation Logic

Uchisar Castle: A Study in Cappadocian Dry-Stone Form and Material Reintegration

Uchisar Castle in Cappadocia, Turkey, stands as a prime example of adaptive reuse where historical dry-stone masonry techniques inform contemporary approaches to circular design and material reintegration within a monumental landscape.

17 Jul 2026

Modern building with blue glass and navy brick facades, viewed from a low angle.

Visual Essay

Roman Foundations, Timber Futures: Vienna's Modern Forum for Circularity

Vienna's approach to low-carbon office headquarters marries ancient urban strata with advanced biomaterials. Cross-laminated timber and design for disassembly redefine corporate architecture.

6 Jul 2026

A timber trellis with climbing ivy, a patinated copper door, and a moss-covered stone wall, from a close-up angle.

Details That Matter

Rainwater and Joinery: Japanese Machiya Hydrology in Renaissance Marrakech

Exploring the adaptive architecture of the Japanese machiya, this piece examines its advanced hydrological strategies and intricate joinery. We recontextualize these within Renaissance Marrakech to reveal cross-cultural design ingenuity.

2 Jul 2026

Interior of a room with a window on the left overlooking a desert landscape and a backlit accent wall of Salt Architecture.

Stories of Place

Saline Logic: The Growth of Mineral Masonry

Saline Logic explores the transition from salt as industrial waste to a structural medium, offering a new path for sustainable, site-grown architecture.

16 Nov 2025

Interior view of a modern space showcasing a rough concrete pillar, a black steel beam, and glass partitions.

Transformation Logic

Transformation Logic: The Structural Case for Reuse

Transformation logic moves beyond renovation, using structural retention as a primary tool for carbon reduction and spatial innovation in legacy buildings.

18 Jun 2024

Nearby topics

Adaptive reuse Sustainability Biophilic design Neuro-architecture Vernacular Tectonics Colour & atmosphere Heritage