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Closing loops. Circular Architecture

Environmental crises, rising commodity prices, disrupted supply chains for building materials, pandemics, global conflicts, and weather uncertainties require a rethink of architecture and life. Construction costs are expected to continue to rise in the coming years, while building materials on the market are limited by available resources and climate change. How can we develop new living typologies while protecting the ecosystems around us? Closing loops: We want to take a more critical look at circular processes to find new methods of reusing regional and wasted materials in the Västerbotten region of northern Sweden. By activating existing structures for autonomous concepts, we see ourselves as reinventors, decoders and discoverers of low-tech design for holistic living concepts. To bring back knowledge about material cycles and energy-saving design, we design for new ways of acting, thinking and simply living for all living beings in coexistence.

Context of Investigation 
The regional heritage of northern Sweden, perfectly adapted to the climate, topography, resources and social aspects of a time before globalization, has a quality from which we can learn. Our starting point is Holmön (1300) and the Gammlia open-air museum in Umeå (1920) to take a closer look at earlier building techniques and see what we can learn from this vernacular architecture and building methods before 1900. This year, the island of Holmön is our experimental laboratory to explore earlier building techniques in local architecture. On this exposed island location, in collaboration with NBAP, New European Bauhaus North and the Department of Building Physics, we are researching independent energy solutions for self-sufficient architecture in participatory processes involving all stakeholders such as the municipalities, locals, self-organizations as well as tourism. In the autumn semester, UMA 2 will design within the harbour context and UMA 3 will work within the existing structure of the whole Holmön. 

Studio agenda and methodology  
This year Studio 2 is dedicated to intentionally built circular processes, tracing the local architecture to develop visionary low-tech design. In a workshop on waste materials, we continue to work on new materials and their application for a silent box to be tested and handcrafted for the new 1:1 scale teachers' room. Circular design solutions aim to change the role of performers and buildings from consumers to producers. The spring semester will focus on mapping methods, creative reuse and building prototypes for the island of Holmön, which will be powered by 100% renewable energy. By contextualizing the design, we improve its behaviour and sustainable performance on a given site, especially through integrated water systems and energy saving strategies. In collaboration with the building physics department, we quantify life cycle standards to effectively evaluate and adapt your design to local conditions. 

Teaching team: Constanze Hirt (responsible studio), Maja Hallén, Nina Larsson + guests 

Latest update: 2024-09-02