Material Matters: Transitions and New Material Practices towards Regenerativity
Convenors: Philipp Misselwitz (Technische Universität Berlin & Bauhaus Earth)
Track: Transformative Practices & Alternative Futures
Keywords: Circular Building Practices, Regenerative Built Environment, Bio-based Materials, Transformative Practices
Thursday October 24, 10:15–11:45, New Seminar Room, John Moffat Building
SESSION 16
MATERIAL MATTERS: TRANSITIONS AND NEW MATERIAL PRACTICES TOWARDS REGENERATIVITY
This panel proposes a regenerative approach to address the built environment's role in climate change. It invites contributions that rethink urban construction using circular methods and bio-based materials as a way to mitigate the negative impacts on ecosystems, while also emphasizing the need for social and environmental safeguards. Spanning two thematic streams – Transformative Practices and Alternative Futures – the panel explores whether bio-based materials from regional sources and circular building practices can foster positive outcomes such as value redistribution, landscape repair, biodiversity replenishment, and healthier cities.
Presentations
Unpacking the ‘regenerative built environment’: circular material practices in Africa and Asia
The presentation critically reflects the concept of a regenerative built environment by comparing three case studies: the Western Cape Region, the island of Bali, and Bhutan. Although of critical importance for the climate crisis, inconsistent regional supply chains and the lack of governance make the targeted transitions a generational effort.
Building for the Africa's Urban Billion within Planetary Boundaries
MASS shall demonstrate how materials benefit people and planet by presenting two built case studies in Rwanda: the adaptive reuse of a 1965 school into an entrepreneurial hub and a new university campus built from stone, earth and wood.
Advancing the use of alternative materials and technology to promote circularity in architecture praxis in Africa
There is a global acceptance on the urgency of sustainable development. However, the green agenda seems to further marginalise populations in Africa. The presented case studies illustrate the use of circular methods and bio-based material approaches resulting in high impact socioeconomic and environmental impact regenerative architecture
Building Climate Smart Forest Economies through holistic Value Chain Alliances: Learning from East Africa
Using its existing biobased construction value chain alliance (VCA) in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda as a case study, CSFEP will discuss VCAs as a mechanism to build climate smart forest economies. This collaborative approach focuses on building the system holistically, developing local solutions for both the built environment and natural landscapes.
