WVDM Living Lab

The project links the theory and practice of circular construction. Twelve modules of former student rooms on the VUB campus, designed by Willy Van Der Meeren in 1972, are used as a case. We are not focused on the end result, but on the process. 

The strategies developed were evaluated using various tools according to four pillars: energy, heritage, sustainability and economy. The modular structure allows the use of construction kits with standardised, compatible and interchangeable components, assembled like Meccano. This optimises their production and construction process, facilitates their storage and increases their potential for reuse. During the implementation phase, concerted efforts were made to reuse materials released during the renovation such as sanitary appliances, light fittings, insulation materials, carpet tiles and kitchens etc. 

The combination of research and execution, of heritage and circularity, and of reuse and technical reversibility, required adapted profiles, for which we enlisted the help of specific local experts.

The jury on WVDM Living Lab:

WVDM Living Lab is a research project that investigated how spaces and materials can be recovered to produce flexible building systems. The research starts with the student rooms Willy Van Der Meeren designed for VUB Brussels University. It explores everything you can do with the existing materials if you want to reuse them in modular, future-oriented building systems, while respecting the existing design language. It invites new projects to think about how materials can not only be used now but also tomorrow.

What makes your project so special?

The project aims to answer an urgent, topical question: How can we renovate post-war architecture in a sustainable way? And what strategies can be applied for this purpose? This is not just about circular renovation, but equally about developing scalable and replicable circular strategies.

The layered structure - starting with a shell - allows building packages to be put together according to the functional and comfort requirements of the rooms. This creates a materials bank that is generic and scalable in concept, but is also specifically deployable depending on the application. The result is a resilient architecture, tailored to space and use, which is also adaptable to changing constraints.

How does it contribute to a better world?

The project focuses on three core themes:

1. Spatial and technical reversibility

The building envelope and interior walls are designed according to the kit-of-parts principle: multifunctional, compatible and manageable building components formed according to standardised dimensional principles and assembled in a reversible manner, similar to a Meccano system.

2. Reuse of materials

Efforts were made for both in situ reuse (of, e.g. the supporting structure, sanitary units, terrace tiles and Fontex panels) and ex situ reuse (such as sanitary appliances, light fittings, carpet, kitchen elements and insulation material).

3. Eco-friendly materials

Materials with a low environmental impact were chosen, including grass fibre insulation, timber structures (timber frame) and mineral-based materials.

Do you have any further plans for this project?

Scaling up - VUB

The more than 300 modular student rooms on the VUB campus were once at risk of being demolished. Today, the 12 modules that are part of this project not only act as a catalyst for conservation, but also serve as the foundation for a circular renovation model applicable to the remaining buildings. Meanwhile, 56 red modules have already been renovated according to one of the strategies developed, and a similar trajectory is planned for as many blue modules.

Scaling up - MAKER

The detail, materials and evaluation database developed has become a practical tool for the agency. The research results are being applied in several ongoing projects to put together layered and reversible building packages, adapted to the specific context and needs of each project.