In the face of the climate crisis and within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the reuse of materials has become prominent in the fields of construction and architecture in recent years. From "urban mining" to life cycle assessments (LCAs), professionals, organizations, and researchers are exploring different solutions and strategies to address the same overarching challenge. Project (Un)Build is a research initiative developing reversible timber construction methods that use straps and friction pads to facilitate material reuse. It contributes to the ongoing debate and reflection on the act of building itself.
Today, construction waste is one of the major challenges facing many architecture professionals. The act of building and unbuilding—where materials are joined, assembled, and disassembled—calls for an exploration that goes beyond joints, intersections, and connections. It creates opportunities to discover or rethink how these processes can be transformed by considering everything from material weight and strength to the broader consequences of our actions.
