FOR THE K.118 BUILDING IN WINTERTHUR (SWITZERLAND), the construction process was reversed: first collect demolition materials, then design. This extension is built almost entirely with reused components – girders from Basel, stairways and granite from Zurich – complemented by natural materials. This circular approach saves 60% in CO2 emissions compared with an equivalent new build. Committed to exploring sustainable construction methods, architect Søren Pihlmann sees buildings as living organisms that are capable of self-regeneration using their own materials. Curator of the “Build of Site” exhibition at the Danish Pavilion for the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, he shares his vision of circularity. You advocate an exploratory approach to “on-site circularity”. What does it mean and how do you see its potential for development? S. P.: Our approach goes beyond simple circularity. I see buildings as living organisms that are capable of self-regeneration using their own resources. There are currently two approaches to the circularity of materials collected directly on site: direct reuse of whole elements (girders, concrete slabs) and recycling of scrap to make new materials. The issue is to determine on what scale the effort involved in reutilization can still be justified. I believe that the potential for adoption of our on-site circularity approach is significant, as the industry is in the middle of a transition to more sustainable practices, while technical tools are evolving rapidly. What characteristics do you think make a material ideal for reuse? S. P.: It’s essentially a question of scale and robustness. A reusable material must be suitable for use on a large scale, despite its imperfections – chipped corners or uneven colors. To achieve this, we need to abandon our standardized vision of construction and make the most of these traces of history. “Can we (really) revolutionize our construction methods?” VIEWPOINT SØREN PIHLMANN Co-founder of the Pihlmann Architects practice in Copenhagen (Denmark) READ the full interview in Constructing a Sustainable Future How can we facilitate the future reuse of building components at the design stage? S. P.: We have to master two complementary approaches: either to create components (such as partitions) that can be easily dismantled and reused as they are, or to design systems that transform scrap into raw material. For a project we completed in Copenhagen (Denmark), we cut up existing concrete components to create a new stairway, while scrap wood was ground up and then molded into new planks to create furniture. Scrap metal (radiators, pipes) was compressed into cubes, before being sandblasted to create table legs, for example, giving the new building a unique creative and esthetic dimension. Truly sustainable construction requires this flexible approach, where sometimes the environment adapts to the material, and sometimes the material adapts to the environment. 109 108
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