LECTURE

“Precious Re:built” at the symposium sustain.build.repeat.

In her lecture, Tina Kammer specifically called for building better, less and differently. She also showed three projects from her office in which she has implemented the careful and respectful treatment of the existing.

Tina Kammer has been following developments in the field of sustainability since the 1980s. After working as a cabinetmaker, architect in London and on international projects, she co-founded InteriorPark. At lectures, in consultations, workshops and juries, she promotes sustainable developments. Her studio InteriorPark. specialises in sustainable architecture and design concepts. Since 2022, she has been teaching architecture for sustainable construction as a professor at the IU International University.

PODCAST

Recordings with Campusradio Karlsruhe at the 2022 Symposium by the KIT Faculty of Architecture

Many exciting speakers were guests at the 2022 sustain.build.repeat symposium, which was held at the ZKM and livestreamed under the management of PINK Event Service. The event was organized by the KIT Professorship of Sustainable Construction with the kind support of Wacker Chemie AG. In order to revisit the contents of the symposium, a podcast was recorded in cooperation with Campusradio Karlsruhe in the immediate vicinity of the venue.

Everything we need to live has already been built. That is one of the statements of the symposium on sustainable construction. The scientists agreed that we first have to take a break from building new living space. It is now about making better use of the existing building stock. After all, the construction sector contributes a good 40% to the emission of gases that are harmful to the climate, and the construction industry also occupies top positions when it comes to the consumption of valuable resources. The podcast episodes listed below show different perspectives, approaches, business models and visions of the speakers of the symposium.

The sustain.build.repeat. symposium is dedicated to the resource of the 21st century: our building stock. With growing waste volumes and ever scarcer raw materials, frivolous building demolitions and replacements must be avoided. Instead, existing buildings should be rebuilt and reused, and building components should be removed, reused and reused. The linear system that focuses on the demolition of buildings does not correspond to an economic, nor an ecological handling of the resources at our disposal. The stored grey energy, which is contained in the materials used, in the transport and in the construction, as well as the cultural and social value of the architecture are lost. It is therefore important to think in cycles and, on the premise of resource- and climate-friendly architecture, to preserve as much of the existing building stock as possible: on the one hand as a changeable space in which various usage scenarios are possible, and on the other hand as a material depot, secondary raw material, and a source of energy.

Through the circular conversion and recurring transformation of the building stock, its material, economic and social value can be preserved. The creative repurposing, reuse and co-use of existing spaces of opportunity provides new social and architectural challenges. Thus, the spatial complexity, the appropriation of architecture by society and its adaptability to future needs can become unique design tools.

In this symposium, representatives from science and industry, research and practice will present ideas, strategies and impulses on how the ecological necessity of reconstruction and transformation of the existing can become an enriching element of a caring, needs-oriented and value-preserving architecture in ecological balance. It offers the opportunity for joint discussion and exchange on the meaning and value of the existing for the architecture of today and tomorrow.

The symposium will take place as part of ChangeLab`s, an innovation platform for sustainability in construction sponsored by Wacker Chemie AG (https://changelab.exchange). The event on April 29, 2022 will be organized by the Sustainable Building Professorship of the KIT Faculty of Architecture and is to be recognized as a continuing education measure of the Chamber of Architects of Baden- Württemberg.