Material Circle Pavilion at the Berlin University of the Arts

 

Reimagining design processes within the context of a circular economy, a team of architectural students at the Berlin University of the Arts has unveiled Material Circle — a pavilion made entirely from salvaged construction waste. Led by Prof. Giovanni Betti, the project showcases an approach to architecture where both function and the availability of materials serve as the starting point for design explorations. The students sought to address the construction industry’s significant contribution to global CO2 emissions and the pressing need for sustainable building methods, taking on a catalogue of materials that were made available partially through a donation from demolition company Hagedorn, and partially sourced from construction and demolition sites around Berlin.

salvaged construction waste shapes material circle pavilion in berlin
Material Circle Pavilion at Universität der Künste Berlin | all images by Gloria Neveu

 

 

a circular process for more sustainable architecture

 

At the core of the Material Circle pavilion lies a circular approach to architecture alongside sustainable design principles. The circular economy principles guide the form, dimensions, and structure of the pavilion, demonstrating how creative design can align with available materials. This departure from the traditional modernist approach, where form follows function, fosters an iterative negotiation between form, function, and material availability.

 

To tackle the challenge of managing a diverse and somewhat chaotic collection of salvaged elements, the Berlin University of the Arts students employed cutting-edge technology and a process of collection, digitization, and 3D scanning to catalogue their sourced materials. This approach enabled the team to efficiently and creatively repurpose waste, while also facilitating the identification of opportunities for future construction projects.

salvaged construction waste shapes material circle pavilion in berlin
the pavilion is made entirely from salvaged construction waste

salvaged construction waste shapes material circle pavilion in berlin
the project is led by Prof. Giovanni Betti and designed by a team of architectural students

salvaged construction waste shapes material circle pavilion in berlin
reimagining architectural design processes within the context of a circular economy

salvaged construction waste shapes material circle pavilion in berlin
the circular economy principles guide the form, dimensions, and structure of the pavilion

 

 

salvaged construction waste shapes material circle pavilion in berlin
materials were donated from demolition company, and partially sourced from construction and demolition sites

salvaged construction waste shapes material circle pavilion in berlin
swings have been added for the younger visitors

reimagining the design process in the circular economy
the students employed cutting-edge technology and a process of collection, digitization, and 3D scanning

reimagining the design process in the circular economy
the project showcases an approach where availability of materials serve as the starting point for design exploration

reimagining the design process in the circular economy
all the available materials have been 3D scanned and documented

 

 

project info:

 

name: Material Circle
designer: Prof. Giovanni Betti, Anna Bajanova, Christian Schmidts; Students: Tim Cox, Elias Eichhorn, Paula Hauschildt, Eva Heilmann, Angelina Hille, Martin Hofmann, Linda Huke, Leah Leicht, Lucas Apostolo, Gloria Neveu, Albert Nierlin, Elisa Romero-Romero, Parzival Schneider, Jonas Ullrich, Baptiste Vargas Hordosch

 

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: ravail khan | designboom