Material Change

The environmental argument in favour of building reuse is clear. In the UK, the construction industry accounts for 60% of all materials used, while creating a third of all waste and generating 45% of all CO2 emissions in the process. The critical onus on architects and developers, therefore, is to retrofit, reuse and reimagine our existing building stock, making use of the “embodied carbon” that has already been expended, rather than contributing to escalating emissions with further demolition and new construction.

The processes of transition and reuse have been the central themes of our studio this year. We have considered reuse as an adaption and transformation rather than an act of conservation and restoration.

Following a primer exercise based around explorative ‘derive’ walks in Newcastle, each student made a detailed urban analysis of their chosen area of the city.  From that point the students sought out buildings that could be used to activate the potential of existing sites and the surrounding neighbourhood.

The resultant projects transform a wide variety of existing buildings, from sensitive historic settings to retail sheds and industrial relics. Each project aims to creatively reconfigure the existing space with a proposal that reinvigorates the building within its locality.