With No Time to Waste, OMI brings together three contemporary visions on innovative reuse. When old buildings are demolished and new ones are constructed, materials from the past are often thrown away. But what can be made of the pieces left behind? The Rotterdam-based architects Md-2, Stadsgrond and Studio Method showcase how leftover materials can be creatively repurposed. Leftover clay from construction sites as material for new building blocks, upcycling waste materials into surrealistic objects or demolition materials as the foundation for spatial and social interventions. In what ways can the ideas of these young designers transform contemporary design and construction practices?

Stadsgrond
The Dutch construction industry faces numerous challenges, like scarcity of materials and air pollution. Due to the nitrogen crisis, many projects are currently on hold, and conventional building methods are hardly circular. By utilizing leftover clay as a sustainable building material, Stadsgrond aims to provide a solution to these problems. The exhibition will showcase the product’s diverse applications, ranging from structural uses like blocks and rammed earth to decorative purposes such as clay plaster and flooring. Not only can these materials replace concrete and brick, they are also locally produced by harvesting materials within the city. In workshops these alternative building materials are made together with newcomers in Rotterdam. This way, Stadsgrond addresses the urgent need for sustainable building practices while simultaneously creating opportunities for newcomers in the Dutch labor market.

Md-2 architects
Architects Michał Długajczyk and Mahaut Dael form the design duo Md-2 architects. For them, the continuous changes in Rotterdam offer opportunities in the fields of sustainability and identity. Their research ‘Description by Design’ is inspired by the surrealistic collaging technique of visual artist Jiří Kolář: crumpulage. Demolition materials are taken apart, sliced, crushed and crumpled into smaller pieces which are then are assembled, mixed and upgraded into completely new forms. This process not only creates a new material, but also offers a fresh perspective on the original project. From leftover PVC pipes and abandoned household appliances to broken bricks, Md-2 architects’ designs demonstrate how materials from demolished buildings can be creatively and intelligently upcycled and reused.

Studio-Method
Studio-Method is a research-based Design and Architecture practice by designers Riel Bessai, Pedro Daniel Pantaleone en Anna Sujkowska. The studio explores alternative visions for the future with objects, spaces and human-scale architecture that foster the health of communities and ecosystems. In response to the urgent environmental crises, they approach a sustainable built environment not only as a technical challenge. They also connect sustainability to new working methodes, where reuse represents fundamental changes in social and economic relationships. This approach calls for a local perspective on design and construction practices, bringing people together and embracing collective improvisation.