Title

Author(s)

Fruzsina Barta

Zsófia Horváth Farkasb

Bence Törökc

Affiliation

Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Explorative Architecture

DOI

https://doi.org/10.65686/QVXE3025

Keywords

Urban Mining, Material Reuse, Embedded Value

PP

121-128

How to Cite

Barta, Fruzsina, Zsófia Horváth-Farkas, Bence Török. “Architecture of the Found Broadening the Perspective of Adaptive Reuse from Buildings to Materials.” In Proceedings of the International Conference on Adaptive Reuse. Volume 1, edited by Andrea Crudeli, Francesca Molle, and Emanuele Carrai, 121–128. Firenze: STH Press, 2026.

Abstract

While adaptive reuse, which has come into focus in recent years, has always been a self-evident part of the toolkit of architectural design, the reuse of materials is more typical of spontaneous or vernacular architecture, and is not a common part of the mainstream of architectural design. However, the basic idea of reusing spaces and building materials is the same: preserving and activating existing values, thereby reducing emissions and avoiding waste. Three advantages at once. We propose to broaden the established concept of adaptive reuse by making the reuse of materials a part of it, further opening the discourse towards environmentally conscious and circular design principles. While in classic adaptive reuse materials are used on site, within the building, the current task of architecture, to drastically reduce emissions and function within planetary boundaries, requires a broader approach of reuse. Not all buildings can be saved and in current practice their materials are lost forever. We compare realized architectural projects that focus on designing with reused building materials, both by international practices and student projects that were part of a design course initiated by the authors. We are focusing on architectural strategies and dive into ways and levels of reuse. We highlight the differences and similarities of the design process and the end results comparing them with traditional building projects. We argue that reusing building materials can enrich the final design of buildings by adding an extra layer of meaning to them while making sure that building doesn’t put an unwanted burden on the environment. Architects should use the opportunities of material reuse and foster second hand material availability by putting a demand on it. Adaptive reuse should use its momentum and open toward adaptive material reuse, because successfully realized projects can pave the way to environmentally conscious architectures.

Edited by
Andrea Crudeli
Francesca Molle
Emanuele Carrai

Publisher
STH Press, Firenze

ISBN Paperback – 9791281661141
ISBN Ebook – 9791281661158
DOI – https://doi.org/10.65686/SISY7263

Year
2026

Proceedings of
International Conference on Adaptive Reuse
hosted by The University of Pisa, Italy
15-19 September 2025, at the Gispoteca di Arte Antica dell’Università di Pisa.