Building through repair: Reassembling demolition material flows in circular construction

EASST2026, ‘More Than Now: Exploring Resilient Futures’, European Association for the Study of Science and Technology, AGH University of Kraków, 08–11 September 2026

This talk examines repair as a route to practicing circular construction in the built environment by tracing the recovery routes of demolished bricks in Hamburg. Drawing on interviews with actors across demolition, waste management, and architectural practice, it explores how classifications, institutional arrangements, and different interpretations of recycling shape the possibilities for reuse. It considers how these processes preserve or transform material value and investigates ways of reconnecting demolition outputs with architectural design. Through this perspective, the talk examines the tensions between recovering construction materials and maintaining their potential for continued use.

Image © EASST.
Image © EASST.

More information
https://easst.net/conferences/easst2026/