Insieme is a structure built from reclaimed bricks salvaged from demolition sites. By tracking and tracing the histories of these materials, it merges digital tools with traditional circular practices to promote creative reuse in architecture. Broken bricks, once bound for landfill, were repaired using a 3D-printed material made from construction waste. These bricks now take centre stage as creative ornamentation co-designed with participatory methods. Digital material passports let visitors trace the history of each building element and explore its potential for future reuse. Insieme encourages the coexistence of the past and future through technology and reuse.
Participants
CIRCULAR ENGINEERING FOR ARCHITECTURE LAB (CEA), ETH ZURICH
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND
Catherine De Wolf, Brussels, Belgium, 1989. Lives and works in Zurich, Switzerland.
Vanessa Costalonga, Brasília, Brazil, 1991. Lives and works in Zurich, Switzerland.
Clara Blum, Berlin, Germany, 1999. Lives and works in Zurich, Switzerland.
Océane Durand-Maniclas, Lyon, France, 1994. Lives and works in Zurich, Switzerland.
Technical collaborators
CEA: Loukas Mettas and Reva Saksena (3D Printing Support), Zain Karsan (Fabrication Support); Manuel Lorz, Verein atelier faire avec (Masonry Reuse Expert); Roman Menzi, Roman Menzi Atelier für Gestaltung und Restaurierung (Brickwork Consultant); Sandro Kühne, B3 Kolb AG (Structural Engineering)
Team
IVY Filmstudio: Ian Oggenfuss and Meret Luginbühl (Videos). CEA: Natalie Bellefleur (Illustrations and Graphic Design); Nina Limbach (Logistics); Ipek Mertan, Asena Özel, Dominik Stoll, Ioannis Galetakis, Harish Karthick Vijay, Claudia La Valle, Kirk Newton, Noah Adriany (Student Assistants); Pascal Emmenegger (Digital Platform Support); Roxanne Goldberg (Press and Social Media). Trazando Espacios (Públicos), Venezuela: Ana Vargas, Adriana Rusian, Oriana José Venti Indriago, Maria Alejandra Alamo (Children’s Workshop Coordination). Claudia Loggia and Viloshin Govender, University of KwaZulu-Natal (Consultants). Jacob Mhlanga, Loughborough University (Consultant)
Thanks
Martin Gasser, Spross Transport & Recycling; Robert Kindler, ETH Zurich; Tim Cousin, Roofscapes; Francesca Granito and Robert Grass, Functional Materials Laboratory, ETH Zurich; Kaspar Stengele, ETH Zurich; Angela Loescher-Montal, Walzwerk - SFUP AG; Brandon Byers, ETH Zurich
Supporters
Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich); Trazando Espacios (Públicos); University of KwaZulu- Natal (UKZN); Verein atelier faire avec; Spross Transport & Recycling; Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering (D-BAUG), ETH Zurich
