Circular Economy in Latin American Housing: 12 Examples of Reuse of Materials


Refugio en La Paisanita / STC Arquitectos. Image © Gonzalo Viramonte

Refugio en La Paisanita / STC Arquitectos. Image © Gonzalo Viramonte

Although the circular economy involves other principles such as the regeneration of natural systems, the reuse or recycling of materials plays an important role in contributing to the reduction of waste generation by giving a second useful life to elements that could be considered waste. Wood, metal sheets, bricks, and stones, among others, can be reused, bringing sustainability and efficiency criteria to the projects, helping to consolidate this concept that still has a long way to go.

Within the Latin American territory, many architecture professionals have proposed to apply in their design and construction processes the implementation of strategies that collaborate with the use of resources, either by reusing, recycling, or restoring different materials and elements in search of satisfying the needs and concerns of those who inhabit the spaces.

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