Reusing building materials was a central theme at Buildex Vancouver 2022 where Unbuilders and MGA (Michael Green Architecture) created an experiential display called ReGrow. It confronts the largest single contributor to our overflowing landfills – construction and demolition waste.

Current practices of construction and demolition produce 40 per cent of the solid waste in Canada – equal to 4M tonnes of waste per year.

According to the team, the display demonstrates that this ‘waste’ is actually one of the greatest tools the industry has to build a net-zero future.

The installation itself is a visual display of the circular economy. Starting with a large pile of waste from demolition – the issue of waste within the industry is brought to the forefront. The story of what needs to change from the traditional linear economy model of take, make, dispose.

As an alternative, a pile of carefully de-constructed building materials is presented.  These timber materials can be saved, sorted and re-used. Within this material lies huge value, the timber is a natural carbon storage system.

Rising from the pile of waste, a large canopy spans above the exhibition. The structure is designed to be built and deconstructed. The structure provides a roof canopy, vertical walls and floor – an abstracted tree. A representation that buildings are not just shelter, they are material banks. Touring around the base of the canopy, the story of the circular economy is presented. A story from tree to extraction, to fabrication, to building, to “waste”, to the opportunity to build again, and envision our future.

The wood material is celebrated in various finishes from its most raw, salvaged state, all the way to a refined finished quality within high design furniture elements.

“The material within buildings has real value, both as a carbon storage, and as pieces of our history. Just as every tree in our forest is unique and has a unique story, every piece of thoughtfully deconstructed material has a story to tell.”