IN-PERSON Barcelona. Section A

Abstract

As awareness grows regarding the value of temporary use (TU) in reactivating unused buildings, their implementation gets increasingly embraced by the society. In fact, it is crucial to encourage this reactivation of existing buildings since there is on one hand an immense number of unused spaces in cities and on the other hand a lack of affordable spaces. Moreover, since there is a significant contribution of construction sector to waste generation and there are limited resources, this activation, especially if temporary, must be approached in an environmentally conscious and resource-efficient manner. Currently TU take a fragmented approach, resulting in a lot of waste at the end of their activation. To develop a thought through approach towards the creation and organisation of TU, circular design strategies (CDS) need to put forward. To address this, this study assesses which combination of conditions lead to the implementation of CDS that aim at waiving waste production, among which material reuse and design for deconstruction. These conditions include a TU period of more than five years, functional compatibility, financial support, subsidies for sustainability and designer’s involvement. By drawing on empirical data collected between 2021 and 2023 of 10 different cases of TU in Belgium, as well as literature gatherings, this paper will present and discuss the outcomes of fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fs-QCA). This analysis will highlight how the combination of conditions interact and contribute for the choice of applicable CDS. By gaining this insight, a thought through approach for wasteless TUs can be developed.