3R/B16-

Architecture always was a resource, and it this project proposal it become a resource of knowledge, meterial and identity.

In times of ecological crisis we have to find more sustainable ways of building and designing. We are turing towards more sustainable ideas, like the Circular Economy, that tries to change the linear principles of take, make dispose into 3R paradigm: reduce, reuse, recycle.

Architecture is not only a medium throught which living conditions could be improoved. It is also a tool for confirming social status. Thus recycling buildings, materials focused on preserving as much of existing structure as possible might be difficoult to be introduced. The brand new elements wold be always more valued in that terms. Especially in regions in which building stock is old and does not provide acess to such basic needs as speatate bathroom.

Yet we tend to forget, that in the past it was nornal to rebuild, adjust and change building looks and functions over time. Lets take as an example the former dye and drying house from Motte&Co. XIXth century company. In more the 100 years it has grew in lenght and height, hosted multiple functions, and in the end it become Lodz University Of Technology sculpturing atelier as well as University publishing office. Currently, the University is looking for new functions for the building. From there we are starting our journey.

With our proposal we want to embrace the difficoult truth about our unsiustainble existance and use the deficiencies as a potential.

The city of Lodz, once a Polish Manchester - a promised land for textile manufactures with vast russian empire market open for their produce, now become Polish Deteroit, fighting back ageing population structure and poverty. However it is one of the few cities that can build its future potential on its deficienies, only if they would be used as an opportunitity. 

If we take a closer look at the circle of life - especially in global north countires - kids have lots of time and energy. They are curious, but they have no expeience nor wisdome. Among grown ups, the level of wisdome rises, to reach its peak at the end of life. But then, there is bearly anyone with whome it could be shared. Therefore the ultimate resource of knowledge are humans. If circularity is about closing loops, than we have to take care of closing the cross generation loops in order to exchange wisdome and knowledge. What if there would be a place that could help to close loops between generations and in the same time close loops in the building industry?