The built environment’s relationship with the natural world is undergoing a profound transformation. By adopting material reuse, the construction industry can move from a linear ‘take, make, dispose’ paradigm to a regenerative, circular economy.
Project Name: Actfit Arena
Studio Name: Ds2 Architecture
It not only reduces waste and conserves resources, but also gives architectural designs character, history, and soul. Reusing materials challenges designers to think creatively, reimagining the potential of existing structures and creating spaces that are resilient, adaptable, and sustainable.
In this way, reused materials can become landmarks in their own right, recognized for their unique aesthetic and sustainable design. By reusing materials in architecture, we can promote a more regenerative and circular economy that values preserving our cultural and environmental heritage, thus transforming the built environment.
One of the buildings, Actfit Arena, built in Hennur and designed by Ar. Mueen Haris, Founder Ds2 Architecture, Bangalore is a beacon of recyclable and sustainable materials. In addition to reducing the impact on the environment, sustainable sports court construction is also about building for the future. With enough forethought, every leftover can be used in architecture, as this project proves. In this project, 92% of the materials have been recycled, repurposed, or reused from previous projects by the firm!
“With the right forethought, wastage should essentially not exist in any architectural project,” says Ar. Mueen Haris.
The material used in the Actfit project has primarily been derived from multiple previous projects from DS2 Architecture such as leftover Textured Wall Paint, Rebars from a demolished existing slab, Leftover wall panel cladding, Stretched fabric, Wooden door frame lintel and other materials. Under the wooden slabs for the gallery seating, existing MS purlins and rafters from the old roof were reused as supports. The bricks from the original worker’s quarters were carefully cut out, chiseled, and repurposed for the walls of the badminton court area, further adds Haris.
A multitude of leftover materials, furniture, etc., were used throughout the entire project; however, when viewed collectively, it does not appear fragmented. It looks carefully tailored from start to finish!
It is possible for architects to create unique and captivating spaces by salvaging and repurposing materials from existing buildings. In addition to appealing to clients and communities seeking eco-friendly design solutions, this approach inspires new generations of architects to embrace a circular and regenerative approach to design by rethinking the traditional building lifecycle.
