The construction industry is a major contributor to climate change. To create sustainable and resilient architecture longevity should play a major role, as the initial embodied carbon can be used for longer. Furthermore, the lifespan of Dutch dwellings needs to be extended to counteract the low annual net addition of new buildings and the housing shortage.
To address these problems this multi functional design (housing + education) on TU Delft campus rethinks the typical timescales of architecture and aims to provide a sustainable alternative to construction methods with a low initial carbon footprint such as timber construction.
The combination of an „ever-lasting“ concrete structure that merges with the site, and can be seen as new land, with temporal building elements guarantees that the building is able to adapt to new functions and requirements over its long service life. The site, which is currently used as a parking lot, can be actively used as part of the campus where living, teaching, nature and leisure meet.