Genbrug på Matriklen - Reuse on Site

Circularity in the building industry – understood as ‘Designing architecture based on the materials available in a ‘reuse bank’ differs from a conventional design process more than one might initially think. Although talented architects in Denmark and abroad have been demonstrating this approach for decades, there is still much to learn.1,2,3,4 One of the reasons why there is no established circular economy today, despite legislation having been implemented in both the EU and Denmark,5,6 is that it is difficult to change culture, specifically 400 years of Beaux-Arts tradition. This project explores ‘the reverse design process’. “Form follows availability” is how Anders Lendager describes the development of architectural solutions based on reused materials.7 The aim of the project ‘Reuse on site’ and the reverse design process explored in the project, is to limit resource waste by using materials that can be found directly on a demolition site. This may be a realistic scenario because demolition typically takes place to make room for new construction, and because from July 1, 2025, the demolition of buildings with a total floor area of more than 250 m² must identify, sort, transport and deposit materials separately to increase recycling and reuse. This will make it more costly to remove demolished materials from a demolition site.8
What is the reverse design process? It is illustrated by an anecdote:
In the spring of 2025, a young architect from an architectural firm approached Greendozer because the architect’s boss wanted to introduce more reuse into their projects. The architect asked if he could buy 20 left-hinged, extra-expensive doors measuring 948 x 2115 mm with glass panels measuring 300 x 1000 mm, color code x.
Of course, this would not be possible. Instead, the design must be based on what is available in the ‘reuse bank’. The design process has been explored in two case projects: one case design process per project year. The case design processes represent two typologies with a high risk of demolition and thus scalable situations in relation to achieving a higher degree of reuse on the site. These typologies are prefabricated social housing (Ringparken) and industrial buildings from the mid-20th century (Listefabrikken).
Through ten design processes – five for each case – six architectural firms have systematically tested a range of tools and visualization forms that can inform design decisions in new ways. The aim is to provide a snapshot of what, in 2025 and beyond, can inform architects’ design processes in relation to achieving reuse on site. The focus of the ‘reuse on site’ project has been on visualizing new ways of 3D scanning, as well as the use of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and environmental screening data.