December 17, 2024
7 Proposals for a Circular Built Environment
In July and August METROPOLIS brought together visionaries from across the building industry for its Circular Future Hackathon, aimed at reimagining how we design and construct in a way that aligns with circular design principles. Building off the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s framework for design and the circular economy, the event encouraged participants to push the boundaries of sustainable thinking by considering waste and pollution, material life cycles, and regenerative design.
Representatives and sustainability experts across global firms, manufacturers, and industry organizations joined forces to tackle the building sector’s greatest circularity obstacles. Participants included 3form, Andreu World, Arcadis, Buro Happold, CannonDesign, CO Adaptive, Dattner Architects, Doors Unhinged, DPR Construction, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, FXCollaborative, the Good Future Design Alliance, Goody Clancy, HDR, HMC Architects, Houser Walker Architecture, HKS, HLW, IA Interior Architects, Interface, Legrand, Lifecycle Building Center, LMN Architects, Miller Hull, Momentum, MSR Design, OPN Architects, Perkins&Will, Re:Vision, RIOS, Ross Barney Architects, Snøhetta, Studio Blitz, Valerio Dewalt Train, WRNS Studio, and ZGF.
During two rounds of virtual workshops, these participants joined one of seven groups, each focused on a particular challenge to a circular built environment: Eliminating Waste, Fighting the Culture of New, Questioning Ownership, Rethinking Lifecycles, Recovering Resources, Rallying Support, and Engendering Collaboration Across Industries. Teams brainstormed, refined, and fleshed out transformative ideas for new product ecosystems, commercial building leasing strategies, professional skills to support a circular design economy, and more.
In the months that followed, METROPOLIS shaped these concepts into comprehensive scenarios. You can view these seven forward-thinking solutions for a more sustainable and circular future in the built environment here:
7 Proposals
Viewpoints
Usability Assessment for Products and Materials
Developed during the METROPOLIS Circular Future Hackathon, this tool evaluates reuse and recycling potential, empowering sustainable decision-making in the specification process.
Viewpoints
A Circularity Score for Architecture and Interior Design Projects
Developed during the METROPOLIS Circular Future Hackathon, this assessment system guides teams in evaluating progress toward circularity in the built environment.
Viewpoints
A System for Circularity in Steel
Developed during the METROPOLIS Circular Future Hackathon, this system envisions collaborative pathways for reusing steel and lightening the built environment’s carbon footprint.
Viewpoints
The Super Dense Commercial Building: A Circularity Prototype
Developed during the METROPOLIS Circular Future Hackathon, this prototype reimagines commercial building ownership and leasing for denser use, responsible renovation, and healthier communities.
Viewpoints
The Circular Buildings Podcast
Developed during the METROPOLIS Circular Future Hackathon, this tool evaluates reuse and recycling potential, empowering sustainable decision-making in the specification process.
Viewpoints
Dream Jobs for a Circular Built Environment
Developed during the METROPOLIS Circular Future Hackathon, this tool evaluates reuse and recycling potential, empowering sustainable decision-making in the specification process.
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