Title

Designing circularity. The circular economy for landscape and territory

DOI

doi.org/ 10.19229/978-88-5509-291-3/692021

Keywords

circular economy, appropriate technologies, from waste to resources, industrial symbiosis, territorial development

Abstract

A farm, a biomedical company and a building materials company, an area with a high landscape value, some agricultural and food waste to be optimised, a team of researchers and a class of design and architecture students. These are the ingredients of the Designing Circularity experience. The article illustrates a field research activity and an educational experiment focused on identifying circularity scenarios for the territory and the development of a project based on the principles of the circular economy, with an appropriate technological approach. The result is that grape marc becomes bricks and hazelnut shells become insulating panels. The experience generated results for all the players involved: the companies strengthened their industrial symbiosis strategies; the university took responsibility for co-processing circularity scenarios and territorial development; the students developed a critical sense and the ability to design in close contact with real ‘challenges’.

Section

Architecture | Research & Experimentation

pp. 158-173

Author(s)

Elena Montacchini, Silvia Tedesco, Nicolò Di Prima

Author(s) Biography

Elena Montacchini, Architect and PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Department of Architecture and Design at the Politecnico di Torino (Italy). She conducts research mainly on issues related to environmental sustainability, the rational use of resources, the health and well-being of users. Mob. +39 347/64.27.051 | E-mail: elena.montacchini@polito.it

Silvia Tedesco, Architect and PhD, is a Researcher at the Department of Architecture and Design at the Politecnico di Torino (Italy). She carries out research activities mainly in the field of experimentation and prototyping of circular products for architecture. Mob. +39 338/24.98.581 | E-mail: silvia.tedesco@polito.it

Nicolò Di Prima, Designer and Anthropologist, is an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Architecture and Design at the Politecnico di Torino (Italy). He is currently carrying out a PhD in Management, Production and Design at the same Department on the themes of design-anthropology and design for social transformation. Mob. +39 349/58.09.973 | E-mail: nicolo.diprima@polito.it

References

Adams, K. T., Osmani, M., Thorpe, T. and Thornback, J. (2017), “Circular economy in construction – Current awareness, challenges and enablers”, in Waste and Resource Management, vol. 170, issue 1, pp. 15-24. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1680/jwarm.16.00011 [Accessed 30 April 2021].

Akhimien, N. G., Latif, E. and Hou, S. S. (2021), “Application of circular economy principles in buildings – A systematic review”, in Journal of Building Engineering, vol. 38, article 102041. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2020.102041 [Accessed 30 April 2021].

Amirante, I. and Gangemi, V. (1988), Architettura e Tecnologia Appropriata, FrancoAngeli, Milano.

Benachio, G. L. F., Freitas, M. C. D. and Tavares, S. F. (2020), “Circular economy in the construction industry – A systematic literature review”, in Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 260, article 121046. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121046 [Accessed 30 April 2021].

Blomsma, F. and Brennan, G. (2017), “The Emergence of Circular Economy – A New Framing Around Prolonging Resource Productivity”, in Journal of Industrial Ecology, vol. 21, pp. 603-614. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1111/jiec.12603 [Accessed 12 April 2021].

Bocken, N. M. P., de Pauw, I., Bakker, C. and van der Grinten, B. (2016), “Product design and business model strategies for a circular economy”, in Journal of Industrial and Production Engineering, vol. 33, pp. 308-320. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1080/21681015.2016.1172124 [Accessed 30 April 2021].

De los Rios, I. C. and Charnley, F. (2017), “Skills and capabilities for a sustainable and circular economy – The changing role of design”, in Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 160, pp. 109-122. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.10.130 [Accessed 30 April 2021].

EMF – Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2015), Towards a Circular Economy – Business rationale for an accelerated transition. [Online] Available at: ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/publications/towards-a-circular-economy-business-rationale-for-an-accelerated-transition. [Accessed 30 April 2021].

Giordano, R., Montacchini, E. and Tedesco, S. (2019), “All you can’t eat – Research and experiences from agri-food waste to new building products in a circular economy perspective”, in Salomone, R., Cecchin, A., Deutz, P., Raggi, A. and Cutaia, L. (eds), Industrial Symbiosis for the Circular Economy – Strategies for Sustainability, Springer, Cham, pp. 149-164. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36660-5_10 [Accessed 27 April 2021].

Homrich, A. S., Galvão, G., Abadia, L. G., Carvalho, M. M., Homrich, A. S., Galv, G., Galvão, G., Abadia, L. G. and Carvalho, M. M. (2018), “The circular economy umbrella – Trends and gaps on integrating pathways”, in Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 175, pp. 525-543. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.11.064 [Accessed 27 April 2021].

Kirchherr, J., Reike, D. and Hekkert, M. (2017), “Conceptualizing the circular economy – An analysis of 114 definitions”, in Resources, conservation and recycling, vol. 127, pp. 221-232. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.09.005 [Accessed 27 April 2021].

Kyrö, R., Jylhä, T. and Peltokorpi, A. (2019), “Embodying circularity through usable relocatable modular buildings”, in Facilities, vol. 37, issue 1/2, pp. 75-90. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1108/F-12-2017-0129 [Accessed 30 April 2021].

Leising, E., Quist, J. and Bocken, N. (2018), “Circular Economy in the building sector – Three cases and a collaboration tool”, in Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 176, pp. 976-989. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.12.010 [Accessed 30 April 2021].

Linder, M. and Williander, M. (2015), “Circular Business Model Innovation – Inherent Uncertainties”, in Business Strategy and the Environment, vol. 26, issue 2, pp. 182-196. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1002/bse.1906 [Accessed 30 April 2021].

Liu, L., Li, H., Lazzaretto, A., Manente, G., Tong, C., Liu, Q. and Li, N. (2017), “The development history and prospects of biomass-based insulation materials for buildings”, in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 69, pp. 912-932. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.11.140 [Accessed 12 April 2021].

Liuzzi, S., Sanarica, S. and Stefanizzi, P. (2017), “Use of agro-wastes in building materials in the Mediterranean area – A review”, in Energy Procedia, vol. 126, pp. 242-249. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.08.147 [Accessed 12 April 2021].

Madurwar, M. V., Ralegaonkar, R. V. and Mandavgane, S. A. (2013), “Application of agro-waste for sustainable construction materials – A review”, in Construction and Building Materials, vol. 38, pp. 872-878. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2012.09.011 [Accessed 12 April 2021].

Moreno, M., De los Rios, C., Rowe, Z. and Charnley, F. (2016), “A conceptual framework for circular design”, in Sustainability, vol. 8, issue 9, article 937. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.3390/su8090937 [Accessed 30 April 2021].

Nußholz, J. L. K., Nygaard, F. and Milios, L. (2019), “Circular building materials – Carbon saving potential and the role of business model innovation and public policy”, in Resources, Conservation and Recycling, vol. 141, pp. 308-316. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.10.036. [Accessed 30 April 2021].

Prusty, J. K., Patro, S. K. and Basarkar, S. S. (2016), “Concrete using agro-waste as fine aggregate for sustainable built environment – A review”, in International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment, vol. 5, issue 2, pp. 312-333. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2016.06.003 [Accessed 12 April 2021].

Quaranta, G., Andreopoulou, Z. S. and Salvia, R. (2018), “The circular economy – A broader perspective for rural areas”, in Rivista di studi sulla sostenibilità, vol. VII, issue 1, pp. 87-105. [Online] Available at: researchgate.net/publication/326636588_The_circular_economy_A_broader_perspective_for_rural_areas [Accessed 12 April 2021].

Raut, S. P., Ralegaonkar, R. V. and Mandavgane, S. A. (2011), “Development of sustainable construction material using industrial and agricultural solid waste – A review of waste-create bricks”, in Construction and Building Materials, vol. 25, issue 10, pp. 4037-4042. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2011.04.038 [Accessed 12 April 2021].

Sanchez, B. and Haas, C. (2018), “Capital project planning for a circular economy”, in Construction Management and Economics, vol. 36, issue 6, pp. 303-312. [Online] Available at: doi.org/10.1080/01446193.2018.1435895 [Accessed 30 April 2021].

Schumacher, E. F. (1973), Small is beautiful – Economics as if people mattered, Harper & Row, New York.

WCED – World Commission on Environment and Development (1987), Our common future – Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, Oxford University Press, Oxford. [Online] Available at: environmentandsociety.org/mml/un-world-commission-environment-and-development-ed-report-world-commission-environment-and [Accessed 30 April 2021].