Re:Product

Water-shaped landscapes are not only sensitive ecosystems but also the source of diverse natural resources and biogenic byproducts. Seagrass, reeds, algae, mussel shells, and driftwood are formed in, on, or by water and possess specific properties that make them attractive for use in construction. While some of these materials have a long history of use in construction, others have only been studied as raw materials for new building products in the past few years. Against the backdrop of resource-efficient construction, this raises the question of how these materials can be harvested, processed, and transformed into applications that support a circular economy. Their specific properties and material cycles offer new perspectives on building with natural and regionally available resources.

The seminar “Re:Product – Rethinking Building Materials,” under the theme “Water to Building,” explores the journey from water to building component. Working in teams, students examine selected materials in terms of their origin, availability, material properties, processing, and their ecological and circular economy potential. Building on this, students conduct individual research to analyze existing building products, research projects, and application examples, evaluating them in terms of their technical, ecological, and circular economy properties. Potential, limitations, and existing challenges are identified, and well-founded approaches for future development in the construction industry are derived from these findings. The results are uniformly documented and transferred to a shared materials library, which serves as a knowledge base for further experimental and design-oriented exploration.