Our cities are made in a monolithic way, composed of several layers, almost impossible to separate them in order to repair or to repurpose them. What is the lifespan of these buildings? For how long they should be standing? At which point of their life cycle conservation and maintenance are important? How easy is it to adapt them, in order to modify their use according to the changing needs?
Design for deconstruction
The concept of the design for disassembly refers to the design of buildings keeping in mind the possibility of their future reuse, the repairing or recycling of their components and materials, reducing the volume of waste the built environment generates. The aim is the design of buildings to facilitate future change and the eventual dismantlement (in part or whole) for recovery of systems, components and materials. It offers adaptability, convertibility, addition, and subtraction of whole-buildings and is a strategy to minimize the risk of obsolescence.
Currently, by tracking and quantifying the demolition waste, we understand that so many elements are impossible to dismantle and have to be disposed of. The current buildings were designed as if they would last forever. The way that we produce the built space should take into account the maintenance, renovation and eventual demolition of their buildings.
Strategies
- Pure materials that can be recycled without environmental harmful substances
- Dimensions that are easily combined
- Reversible joints / assembly details that allow parts to be separated easily without being damaged
- Components with a low Co2 footprint and a few Co2 heavy ones in critical assembly details
- Thermic properties of materials / constructions without vapor barriers (permeable materials)
Disassembling buildings
Dismantling involves the careful deconstruction of building components for repair, re-use, re-purposing or recycling. Dismantling differs from deconstruction in that it can be undertaken as a means of conservation, maintenance and repair works, whereas deconstruction involves taking a building down, albeit in a careful way that aims to minimise waste and maximise re-use. Dismantling also differs from demolition in that it does not generally involve the clearance of an entire structure. Dismantling can be required on projects where it is necessary to remove intricate components, where it is necessary to move a component from one place to another, or where the structure and/or surrounding environment is particularly sensitive.
Categories of elementes:
- Interlocking pieces
- Press-fit structures
- Reversible joints
- Screws
