Adaptability as a Multi-Scale Strategy for the Regeneration of the Built Environment Through Circular Economy Perspective

Since its founding documents, sustainability has recognized collective well-being and environmental protection as the key to the development of society and, at the same time, the main challenge in the relationships between human activities and the limited capacity of ecosystems to support them. For a long time, it was believed that natural and anthropic systems responded to perturbations gradually through a slow adaptive process. Today, we know that vulnerability (economic, social, environmental and health) projects us into a condition of sudden discontinuity, unpredictable and uncontrollable immersive events, in which every single fragility is related to the "whole" and every single action produces an eco or a cascading effect on the well-being of users and the health of the planet. The global crisis scenarios, the conditions of uncertainty and reality complexity, the limited resources and the variability of the framework of the needs show the failure of a "rigid" conception-organization of the built environment often forced to reorganize itself as a result of stressful events for reach acceptable levels of efficiency or to show its fragility (seismic, hydro-geological, climatic, social) by undermining the concepts of stability (environmental, economic and social security) we are used to. Precisely in urban areas, a context in which human health-planetary health relationships express their effects more than elsewhere, it is necessary to intercept new solutions and rules to deal with the direct consequences (deterioration of surface materials, structures, reduction of energy performance) and indirect (loss of identity, interruption of socio-economic activities, loss of livability and conditions of well-being) of climate change on urban centres. Although the literature recognizes the need for impact forecasting tools, it appears increasingly important to support strategies aimed at increasing adaptability understood as a characteristic of the designed system that allows its transformation/modification, increasing its performance qualities and its life span useful. In this sense, adaptability is one of the fundamental requisites for a holistic-circular regeneration and redevelopment of neighbourhoods and architectures, conceived as products that are not "disposable" but "error-friendliness" or "prone to error" and structured to "regenerate" following damage or decompensation through actions of transformation, repair, maintenance, reuse, reconditioning, etc.A paradigm shift is needed in the interpretation of adaptive intervention as a "regenerative process", understood not only as a solution for the restoration/maintenance of acceptable performance conditions - in a linear vision of the life cycle of the designed system - but a moment of "reset /restart" in which the action (of transformability, maintainability, replaceability, reversibility, mitigation/compensation, etc.) underlies a set of strategies structured in a circular process (Refuse, Rethink, Reduce, Re-use, Repair, Refurbish, Remanufacture, Repurpose, Recycle, Recover). In this sense, interventions on the built environment constitute an opportunity to lead cities towards an ecological transition, if considered both as adaptive actions of external (environmental, social and economic) and internal vulnerabilities (variability linked to user needs) but also as interferences (of circular micro processes) to the linear process with which cities have been conceived and evolved, to constitute a step towards the creation of a potentially regenerative and resilient built environment. The paper is part of a study on the topic of sustainable regeneration and redevelopment of existing buildings and urban areas. It explores the implications between the need for adaptive regeneration to ensure both the adequate levels of performance and functionality of the space (indoor, outdoor space ) with its components/materials and the equally urgent need to conceive such adaptive actions in a circular way. The collection, review and systematization of the literature and case studies led to the identification of a framework of adaptive/circular strategies at the micro (the single component), meso (the building) and macro (the public space) scales. The strategies were then validated in three social housing districts in three Italian cities

Circular economy strategies for adaptive reuse of residential building

[EN] The paper deals with the issue of the regeneration of the existing building heritage by framing the problems that characterize the relationships between users-buildings-neighbourhoods in a circular vision. Circular Economy concepts are well suited to the building and construction sector in cities. For example, refurbishing and adaptively reusing underutilized or abandoned buildings can revitalize neighborhoods whilst achieving environmental benefits. A systematic review of the literature and case studies has led to the identification of three areas of action of the CE in the regeneration of the built environment: a Macro-level (the public space), a Micro-level (the single component), a Meso-level (the building). However,  the traditional approach of carrying out timely interventions aimed at responding to individual problems, be they of a structural, energetic, functional nature, relating to the building, the context or the single component is not entirely effective in terms of reformulation of the building characteristics. In this perspective, the paper suggests strategies of circular regeneration of residential buildings through adaptive solutions at room level, home level and urban in pursuit of human wellbeing.Cellucci, C. (2021). Circular economy strategies for adaptive reuse of residential building. VITRUVIO - International Journal of Architectural Technology and Sustainability. 6(1):110-121. https://doi.org/10.4995/vitruvio-ijats.2021.15404OJS11012161Adams, K. 2016. Important Factors to Consider for Applying Circular Economy in Buildings Including a Focus on Reclamation. #BuildCircular learning hub @ EcoBuild 2016, London.Balducci, A. 2005. Dissipative Towers. Application n. 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Circular Economy in Cities, Evolving the model for a sustainable urban future, Geneva Switzerlan

Form follows zero energy: technological design for sustainable housing in extreme climate areas

Hot and humid Extreme Climate Areas, like the United Arab Emirates, pose unique challenges for architects and engineers seeking innovative technologies for energy and environmental efficient building designs; at the same time, these regions are characterized by an innovative spirit that pushes to develop and implement projects to test renewable building technologies and solutions. The research team, which includes the Engineering faculty of The British University in Dubai, is working to develop design strategies that contribute to implementing low-energy and off-grid architecture in the UAE. The goal is to design a home balancing human comfort and efficient energy use, and to respond to the site’s climatic and contextual variables. The research aims to design a water-conserving, net-zero energy single-family home that can be used as a prototype for new building developments in this area. The approach developed toward an energy-efficient design process includes both traditional bioclimatic elements and high-performance active technological systems. The experimental design process also aims to reduce the building’s environmental impact while creating a comfortable and responsive living environment. In this way, efficient water use and renewable energy features can be aesthetically, economically and culturally integrated into the home’s architecture to improve its residents' quality of life. The house design responds to the climate challenges and complements active systems reducing energy use and associated carbon emissions. At the same time, it aims to contribute to the development of appropriate architecture, a starting point for simple architectural expression in the UAE

Strategies for spatial and technological flexibility

The design of housing sys- tems is today challenged by a highly uncertain context, dominated by the rapid development of functional and technological obsolescence in inherited housing models. The design of housing systems should first and foremost optimise the longevity of the sub-systems and be able to offset the process of obsolescence which is concomitant to both the current use of materials and components devised to fail after a short period, and to rigid spatial models that are incapable of adapting to changes in the household’s needs over time. This research examines flexibility as a fundamental requirement to be incorporated in the Life Cycle of the house, through the use of strategies that affect both the form and the technological system that governs its structure

Connecting Cultures, Strategies for the Best Use of Diversity

The essay proposes an alternative approach to the design and location of emergency housing for refugees. Beginning with past experiences that demonstrate how cultural diversity and cohabitation have served as an impulse for change and development in host countries, the paper reflects on choices of location that overcome the current solution of spatial segregation in favour of territorial distribution. This approach is applied to the case study of Tel Aviv through strategies that operate: at the level of the building by adopting envelopes that adapt to existing buildings, at the level of the dwelling through recognisable and customisable and at the level of the city through connections and reciprocal opportunities involving all actors.

Autonomy, Independence, Inclusion

The living environment must not only meet the primary needs of living, but also the expectations of improvement of life and social relations and people’s work. The need for a living environment that responds to the needs of users with their different abilities, outside of standardizations, is increasingly felt as autonomy, independence and well-being are the result of real usability and adaptability of the spaces. The project to improve the inclusivity of living space and to promote the rehabilitation of fragile users need to be characterized as an interdisciplinary process in which the integration of specialized contributions leads to adaptive customization of space solutions and technological that evolve with the changing needs, functional capacities and abilities of individuals

A repository of recovered materials from post-earthquake reconstruction areas

Following the series of ‘severe’ seismic events that began in 2009, Italian legislation classified demolition debris as urban waste, despite Directive 2008\98\EC calling for the reuse/recycling of 70% of all waste from human activities by 2020. This choice will produce a technical, cultural, environmental and economic impoverishment in territories already under heavy strain. Considering the convergence between the paradigms of the Circular Economy and Smartness, the essay identifies possible technological innovations for creating repositories of recovered materials. Collective activities and spatialities tied to processes of selection, reuse and recycling can generate forms of social-organisational-collective resilience required to confront the losses and damages suffered by a community.

Una narrazione alternativa della città bianca dell’UNESCO: la vitalità dello spazio esterno

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Adaptive retrofitting strategies for social and ecological balance in urban Mediterranean area

Several studies show that Mediterranean urban contexts are characterized by ecological and social vulnerability phenomena with environmental, economic and human consequences. The research focuses on the development of Adaptive Retrofit Surfaces (ARS) flexible and reversible technological systems that interact with the ecological, social, technical and economic components of the urban habitat. The ARS integrate the different declinations of "green infrastructures" with the holistic systems of Water Sensitive Urban Design and Empowerment by Design in a mutual and transdisciplinary system. These adaptive interfaces take the form of punctual interventions on urban micro- sections in cities with ecological-social fragility, which, inserted in a synergistic network integrated within the urban fabric, constitute a network of adaptive surfaces that rebalance the conditions of external vulnerability leading to effects on the livability, inclusiveness, well-being and on the quality of the built environment