(Re)Making sense of the built environment within bioregioning flow

The first session of the second day at the CDW 2024 conference, titled “(Re)Making Sense of the Built Environment within Bioregioning Flow,” sparked meaningful discussions surrounding circular design principles and the redefinition of the built environment in alignment with bioregioning. The session explored not only the flow of materials in buildings but also the significant role designers play in reweaving the social fabric of communities.

This session featured a range of experts from different fields, including Shang-Hsien (Patrick) Hsieh, Director of the Research Center for Building & Infrastructure Information Modeling and Management at National Taiwan University, Ming Shan (Charmaine) Ng, Chair of Architecture, Construction and Innovation at Kyoto Institute of Technology, Zhe-Yue Yeh, CEO of Taiwan Field School, and Minnie Jan, Director of MisoSoupDesign, all offering unique insights into the future of circular built environments.

The session kicked off with an introduction by Ryota Kamio, director at RE:PUBLIC Inc. and the moderator of the session, who emphasized the importance of circular design in the built environment. He referred to a thought-provoking quote from Dan Hill, a prominent figure in urban planning and strategic design, which encapsulates the challenge in the construction sector: “Every time we make a house, we make a hole. Actually, many holes. It’s the biggest issue, hiding in plain sight.” This statement points to the overlooked consequences of building design, particularly in terms of waste and resource depletion.

Ryota Kamio (moderator)

Circular design, Kamio suggested, offers a solution by focusing on material flows and the need to rethink how resources are used in building construction. Circularity calls for not only the reduction of waste but also the reuse of materials to extend their lifecycle. The adoption of modular design was emphasized by both Hsieh and Ng. Modular construction, coupled with material passports, allows for easy reconfiguration and the reuse of components, which is essential for maintaining the longevity of buildings and reducing the need for new resources. Buildings can be considered as “material banks,” storing different materials to be reused or repurposed throughout their lifecycles.

In recent years, local governments, NGOs, and construction companies in Taiwan have begun to adopt circular principles for urban renewal, social housing, and other building projects. One notable example discussed was the Taisugar Circular Village in Tainan, which utilizes a material passport system, modular design, precast elements for construction, as well as Sharing Economy strategies. This approach, at least on a theoretical level, contributes to minimizing waste and promotes resource recovery, exemplifying a circular building model. Although such initiatives are underway, Hsieh emphasized that significant challenges remain, particularly in managing tightly bound multi-material constructions that hinder separation and reuse. He also highlighted the difficulty of fostering value in existing buildings, which still in many cases, continue to depreciate over time.

Shang-Hsien (Patrick) Hsieh

Another crucial discussion point was the role of digital transformation in the construction industry's green transition. As highlighted by both Hsieh and Ng, the adoption of digital tools like Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology and robotics is essential for achieving sustainability goals. These technologies not only improve the efficiency of construction processes but also enable life cycle assessments (LCA) that help assess the environmental impact of buildings over time.

Ng, an architect with expertise in digitalization and sustainable design, discussed how emerging technologies can foster environmentally positive built environments while also addressing other social issues. She pointed to the importance of industry 5.0, which focuses on the integration of human intelligence with digital tools to achieve a balance between technology, human needs, and environmental sustainability. Here she presented an intriguing example of using digital technology to promote circular building practices. While timber is considered a sustainable alternative to concrete, modern timber structures often use metal fasteners and adhesives, complicating resource circulation. To overcome this, her team is looking into historic Japanese architecture to explore how digital tools such as digital modelling and robotic fabrication could restore traditional joinery techniques, which historically relied on skilled carpenters but now face labor shortages.

Ming Shan (Charmaine) Ng

Hsieh emphasized the critical role of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology in streamlining the design and construction process while enhancing resource management. BIM is especially effective in improving data transparency, ensuring efficient resource usage, and minimizing waste. In Taiwan's construction industry, Hsieh's work has driven several advancements, such as efforts to reduce waste, mandate resource classification, and adopt renewable materials in building projects. He also highlighted the potential of digital twins in optimizing material management, ranging from individual buildings to entire bioregions. By utilizing data-driven simulations, digital tools can predict material flows over decades, supporting circular resource planning. BIM and digital simulations allow for designing buildings with multiple use scenarios, ensuring buildings will serve a meaningful purpose throughout their lifespans before being constructed. Ultimately, he envisions a shift from building efficiently to building cleverly and thoughtfully using digital technologies, minimizing new construction.

While much progress has been made in developing and adopting digital technologies for circular construction, especially in Taiwan, challenges still remain to be addressed. How might we support companies to understand how and where to adopt pre-fabrication or modularization strategies? How might we adapt buildings for decentralized infrastructures built through digital tools? What will the lifestyles of future generations look like, and how might buildings maintain their meaning? These questions open up possibilities to further explore meaningful applications and innovations of digital technologies in the built environment.

As the discussion unfolded, the concept of bioregioning emerged as a critical theme. Bioregioning is about aligning design with the natural and ecological characteristics of a specific region, creating spaces that are not only sustainable but also intimately connected to the land and its communities.

Yeh shared his work in Chiayi, where he and his team focus on reconnecting people to their environment through projects that revitalize abandoned spaces. Yeh’s team works closely with local communities to redefine old buildings and transform them into functional spaces that serve their needs, while respecting the region's historical, cultural, and ecological context. Yeh stressed that sustainable design is not just about construction methods and material management but also about how buildings create relationships with the land and people. Through hands-on work and community engagement, Yeh's projects aim to strengthen or rehabilitate the social fabric amongst marginalized populations, fostering a sense of belonging and collective ownership.

Zhe-Yue Yeh

Similarly, Jan’s Orchid House project focuses on designing sustainable, modular buildings that are deeply adapted to local contexts and ways of life. In Taiwan, her team observed the widespread yet informal rooftop additions made by residents to address housing shortages. Instead of getting rid of these structures, the team reimagined them as connected rooftop communities, providing affordable living spaces for young people. Their Orchid House prototype integrates modular design, traditional rooftop gardening, and local orchid plants for humidity and heat regulation, demonstrating how sustainable buildings and spaces can be designed to become meaningful places for the people and the land.

Care and maintenance are just as important as the physical longevity of materials used in buildings and spaces.

Jan presented a case study on Feng-Dong Junior High School, where her team was tasked with renovating an old assembly hall used for wrestling into a communal space. Instead of demolishing the aging structure, they made minimal yet meaningful changes, such as opening the stage to an outdoor view. A key design choice was using fragile materials like cardboard tubes for the furniture, challenging the assumption that durability comes only from long-lasting materials. By doing so, she encouraged students to actively care for their environment. Despite initial skepticism, the students proved to be responsible stewards, maintaining the materials over the years.

Minnie Jan

Yeh’s work aligns with Jan’s philosophy by emphasizing care, longevity, and the integration of local materials into daily life. Chiayi is surrounded by abundant cypress forests that have long supported the city's wood-based economy. Yeh’s team is shifting the city's relationship with cypress wood from an industrial resource to a foundation for lifestyle. Like Jan’s approach to preserving the assembly hall, Yeh highlights the importance of physical engagement with materials——seeing architecture not just as design on paper but as a lived and maintained experience. By fostering a deeper connection to the land and its resources, Yeh cultivates a sense of responsibility, encouraging people to care for and sustain their material environments over time.

The longevity of spaces and materials is not solely determined by their physical durability or technical resource management, but also by the care and attention people invest in them. By integrating materials into daily life and fostering a sense of connection——whether through student engagement in a renovated school or a city's reconnection with its wooden heritage——Jan and Yeh’s examples show that circularity can become an active, shared responsibility through maintenance and care. This way of thinking opens up new possibilities for the use of diverse types of materials and already existing spaces.

A recurring theme throughout the session was the need for collaboration between academia, industry, and government to drive the transition to circular design. Academic institutions play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between theory and practice. Research centers, industry partnerships, and government collaboration can help drive innovation in sustainable design and facilitate the implementation of new technologies that are grounded in regional contexts.

The Taiwan BIM Alliance, for instance, was established to foster collaboration between universities, government agencies, and private companies, aiming to promote digital transformation in the construction sector. This alliance serves as a platform for sharing knowledge, developing standards, and pushing for the adoption of sustainable practices in the industry. Much of Ng’s work including the project on timber architecture and digital fabrication, as well as Jan’s work on the Orchid House, were done as collaborative research projects with universities and businesses each with their own expertise, enabling the practice and creation of knowledge for implementation. Finally, Yeh’s work with local universities and government bodies showcases the power of cross-sector partnerships in addressing regional challenges and creating solutions that are locally grounded, as an ongoing process.

This session shed light on the transformative potential of circular design principles in the built environment. As the speakers highlighted, sustainable design is not just about materials but also about reconnecting people with their environment and fostering a sense of collective responsibility. While challenges remain, the ongoing collaboration between academia, industry, and government offers hope for a future where built environments are sustainable, socially inclusive, and ecologically aligned.