The Resource Rows

Urbanization is a current mega trend. People move from rural areas to larger cities, which continuously grow. Many housing areas are developed around the large cities, but what happens with the buildings in the rural areas? When the empty buildings are not resold, they are often left standing as they are. That is a problem for the rural areas they are left in, and unfortunately today very few of them are demolished because no one is incentivized to pay the cost of demolition - instead huge amount of materials turn into waste with no real value. The Resource Rows is a housing project based on the principles of circular economy. The Resource Rows will be the first project ever developed of upcycle brick modules from old buildings in rural areas. Since the 1960s it has not been possible to recycle individual bricks, because the mortar is stronger than the actual brick. Thus the project shows through a visionary idea and design innovation that it is now possible to recycle the bricks. All the old bricks are cut out in square modules, processed and stacked up to create the walls in The Resource Rows. Furthermore, wood waste from the construction of Copenhagen Metro is processed to create upcycle wood for the interior and parts of the facade in project. All this creates a new and unique aesthetic in architecture around upcycling and circular economy. The radical new approach in the construction of The Resource Rows can make a real difference to our world by implementing sustainable solutions in architecture and seeing waste as a resource. The Resource Rows challenges and investigates what a thorough understanding of the concept of resources can bring about in terms of value and quality for new constructions. Reusing rainwater for toilet flushing and irrigation is an important part of The Resource Rows’ identity. For non-potable uses, tap water is replaced with rainwater that is collected from solar cells and other unused clean roof surfaces. Rainwater from roof terraces is collected and stored for irrigation of the landscape. This intensive use of rainwater results in considerable economic savings on utility costs for the residents. The quality of life in The Resource Rows has been developed based on the motto “the community thrives best if there is space for the individual”. It is founded on a strong community and neighborhood that does not interfere with the individual’s right to privacy and self-expression. And it is about the sharing economy. The sharing economy, which has flourished in recent years, proves that it is extremely practical to allow resources that are otherwise unused to be shared by people other than the owner. This provides an economic incentive to all parties involved. In The Resource Rows, a greatly enhanced biodiversity is incorporated with ordinary residential buildings. Not only because it improves the quality of life for the residents and enhances the feeling of living in symbiosis with nature, but also because in this way the building gives more back to its surroundings than it takes. The green areas of this previously uninhabited district are thus reshaped into roof gardens, courtyards, green roofs and vertical gardens that support a varied wildlife, where buildings and nature are not each other’s opposites. Rather, the two come together to create a synergistic space for the benefit of all residents. The integration of green infrastructure acts as a common thread throughout the settlement and the understanding of natural cycles becomes an integral part of the residents’ daily lives, yielding a return not only in the form of plenty of fresh vegetables, but hopefully also by increasing their environmental awareness. With its high level of biodiversity and material reuse The Resource Rows leads the way in reducing CO2 emissions and making circular economy mainstream in the built environment!