Urban Rematerialization: Reimagining a Circular Metabolism of Materiality | First Place, Robert Oxman Award 2024

Studio Peter Ruge / What the future holds?

This thesis aims to address material constraints in the construction industry, drawing attention to the cumulative environmental impact resulting from the building industry's continuous cycle of demolition and rebuilding, exemplified by Japan’s 'Scrap-and-Build' policy. Inspired by the 22 propositions debated in a series of roundtable discussions organized by the LafargeHolcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction, this study advocates rethinking the building-material cycle & the densification of urban voids. It promotes circular metabolisms to eliminate construction waste and reduce dependence on finite raw materials. This thesis serves as a call for long-overdue, truly sustainable construction, it is a plea to reimagine a circular metabolism of materiality within the realm of architecture.

Thesis Booklet https://issuu.com/tayws/docs/thesis_issu?fr=sYmFlNTc2MjQ0OTk

Robert-Oxman_WinShen Tay_CompilationDrawings-02.png

How to Design for Disassembly?

With material circularity in mind, this thesis proposes a Design for Disassembly (DfD) steel structural system. The proposal encompasses modular structural components that facilitate functional flexibility through the conversion, addition, and subtraction of spaces and could host a variety of building typologies and programs in different forms and sizes.

These buildings are meant to be demonstration of how we can build things differently. This proposal sees the structural components as demountable permanent structures and the spaces that inhabits the structure as temporary realms that adapt and evolve with the progression of time.

Robert-Oxman_WinShen Tay_CompilationDrawings-03.png

How can we develop these typologies using a singular modular construction system?

The seven programs and typologies proposed draw inspiration from those commonly found in Tokyo’s urban centers. The goal is to demonstrate a new way to construct everyday Japanese buildings in a truly sustainable manner, minimizing waste and the use of materials while maximizing circularities and functionalities.