Architecture often relies on expensive and rare building materials to define its value. In the following project from Australia, old roof tiles prove to be recyclable. “The Beehive” by architects Luigi and Raffaello Rosselli proves how we can redefine and revalue underestimated construction waste such as old roof tiles. Recycling waste as a material comes from the knowledge that construction generates up to 50 percent of Australia's waste production. For this reason, the energy balance of a building is largely based on material energy. Reusing building materials solves both environmental impacts and is by far the most efficient form of building.
The architects have come together to design their new office building. Using old roof tiles and experimenting with recycled materials in Luigi Rosselli's own studio, the whole thing is intended to be a model for future architectural projects.
The project began with the study of waste materials that would be used to create a suitable solar shading object. This should accordingly filter the harsh western sunlight and theExterior facade of the buildingform. The team chose old roof tiles, a symbol of suburbia, because they were easy to source. These are collected during production, so the new production often loses market value and therefore finds its way to landfill. In context, the terracotta refers to the materiality of the raw stone on the adjacent masonry wall.
Designing during the manufacturing process
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A collection of round openings perforate the black facade in a modern and mysterious way. The circles allow light rays to pass through and diffuse into the air like raw foam. The house is thus transformed into a dark lantern, whose weak light illuminates the travelers' path in the dark.
The design project was also unique for this building. In response to an object that was geometrically complex, the façade design was largely conceived through several large-scale tests and hand-made prototypes. This opened up an intuitive form of designing through manufacturing. So the tactility of the process allowed for rapid pattern development, including experimentation with multiple shapes.
These prototypes informed the final design, with the architects placing old roof tiles according to their function. The designers used the oblique positioning of the bottom row on the floor due to its strength. They also used it to cover the fixed gussets. Same-sided old roof tiles stand at eye level to reduce visual obstructions. The architects, on the other hand, used diagonal bricks because of their limited clear passage at the top by angled them towards the north.
The variation of the structural elements also allowed them to discreetly hide the edges of the panels, which reduced the structural load, into individual floors. This design process also enabled the module to be further used to address challenging design elements and solve them practically. The same applies to the curved facade, which was crucial to the concept. This simultaneously connects the misaligned neighboring building and also creates space for the tree.
According to the building plot
The primary concept of the project emerged from consideration of its immediate surroundings. The shape of the building corresponds to the neighboring setbacks and heights, as well as the myrtle heather that invades the structure. The Brisesoileil facade serves as sun protection while maximizing light. The arched canopy rises above the first floor, blending into the context by providing a generous interface with the street.
Inside, the building houses, among other things, a light-flooded architectural office that is intended as an environment for creativity and teamwork. So it resembles a beehive where architects buzz with their ideas. The design challenges the generic and often alienating nature of open-plan office buildings. It offers an active but intimate environment with multiple work positions. AnotherPart of waste processingare the work surfaces taken over from the former studio. The main room has no walls, but two linear rows of semi-enclosed cubicles set its boundaries. Each architect has two desks, which make collaboration easier.
On the top floor there is a shared garden terrace that offers a relaxation area. This is suitable for work in the sun, events or for social conversations after a long day at work. Below this level is the conference table, where there are also old roof tiles in the shape of a terracotta bookshelf. This module was a conscious attempt to re-contextualize and promote the value of reusing materialssustainable solutionsto plead. The architects wanted to show customers and the general public that it is possible to reuse the waste products of the construction process.
