Design and Build with Local and Recycled Materials
4th – 29th June 2018
Design and Build with Økm (local and recycled materials) in a real context, prototyping 1:1 object for the development of new activities of the local community. The aim is to create a physical and theoretical space that allows the discussion of local sustainability, and explores the potential of alternate low cost building techniques.
Why local and recycled materials? Mainly for the necessity of a responsible use of natural and unconventional resources, valorising and respecting local architectural tradition and culture and looking for appropriate techniques with minimum processing or transportation. In addition to minimising environmental impact and economic costs.
The workshop was a four-week training and a hands-on experience. A balanced process between theory and practice approached in detail allowed the exploration of different materials and techniques.
The self building approach aims to show to participants the possibility of "making architecture" by thinking about space and finishing, mixing low tech and cheap resources, with natural and recycled elements.
This mixed approach creates a very important reflection over the sustainability subject. The quality of a building is linked to a complex vision of architecture, that does not only ensure the efficiency of its own parts but also considers energy use and social involvement.
The Design
The need of an existing structure, that becomes a place for meeting, cultural and social activities, encourages our Cooperative to offer solutions with an aesthetic and sustainable approach. Sustainability is an important part of our practice, this issue is addressed in different ways: in a social sense by seeking different techniques suitable to the specific sites of action and enabling self-construction processes, in an economic sense through the choice of the building techniques and using recycled and/or recyclable materials, in an environmental sense through the use of renewable energy sources and passive bioclimatic architecture principles.
We use the concept of the up-cycling and reused material, starting from what is available close to the area, to share this way of working with the local community and the guesting Passepartout Rete di Imprese Sociali. The existing wooden arbor had to be closed, creating at the same time, an open connection with the surrounding. This is why we used the earthbags on the lower part, and the bottles on the upper part, giving some light and transparency. While on the front side we used a big windows frame, coming from reused materials, spreading constructive practices and techniques with a low environmental impact.
“Our trainees were the best part of the course. I really liked interacting both with them as well as with the participants of the workshop. Moreover, I learned a new building techniques, which was really interesting. Building a façade in 4 days is not an easy task, but we did it!”
— Workshop participant
The Material
Local and Recycled materials
The materials for the building have been collected in different ways, extracted from site, donated or purchased.
SOIL - The most used material of the workshop, in terms of quantity and volumes is the local soil. The great possibility to use it locally made the earthbags the perfect techniques for the lower part of the wall.
BOTTLES - The aim to recycle more than 3.000 bottles, clean and reuse them to build the wall, but it mixed and crashed with the short time and the restricted places to get the bottles directly. A local net of partners gave us a good amount the bottles, but we had to solve it with a local company which trade the reused with the new glass.
WINDOWS - The great amount of house renovation in Milano is producing a large number of waste, especially windows and frames, with a good quality of insulation. The possibility to cut the disposal chain and choose the best windows, gave us the reused materials to compose the main façade
BEAMS- The previous structure was demolished and rebuilt from the local partner with new correct beams. We only reused the old ones that were ready to become firewood.
PLASTIC TUBE- During the reconstruction and the fixing of the black water line, there were many left over pieces that we could reuse.
CONSTRUCTION BOARDS- During the renovation the workers used the construction boards. At the end of the job, they left it to us.
Workshop Resources
Poster
Project poster
Design and Build with Local and Recycled Materials
Read and download the documentation
News from the workshop
ARCò is a cooperative founded in 2012 by a group of architects and engineers dedicated to the production of sustainable architecture and landscape design. Its projects are based on the constant pursuing of social, economical and environmental sustainability.
ARCò explores the local traditional techniques, in order to guarantee that the construction phase can be run independently by the communities involved.
A fundamental goal for every project is the transmission of knowledge and skills through a process of capacity building of techniques and principles which have always been present in the local historical context. This approach has brought ARCò into the world of international cooperation, where it can use its skills to face and solve the different issues of humanitarian emergency.
ARCò – architettura e cooperazione
Alessio Battistella, Project Management and Research
Team
ARCò – architettura e cooperazione
Alessio
Valerio
Luca
Diego
Participants Partner Mobility
Luciana | OC
Sara | Ak0
Samanta | Ak0
Participants
Federica
Lisa
Giovanni
Daniele
Alisia
Monica
Darame
Camara
Edgar
Joseph
Dieju
Soumalia
Sonia
Claire
Maria
Giulia
Emmanuer