V8 Architects, based in Rotterdam, Netherlands, has taken a creative step towards sustainable architecture and circular design with their project “Villa Residu.” This project consists of two semi-detached residential units, built using over 90% recycled or reused materials. Villa Residu is a practical example of applying circular design principles on a small scale, aimed at learning, testing, and providing a model for future developments.
Michiel Rapp-Horst, one of the founders of V8, explains the approach of this project: “Implementing circular principles in large residential projects today is very challenging. Therefore, we decided to focus on a smaller project to maximize these principles and learn from the process.” He also emphasizes that Villa Residu demonstrates how aesthetics, construction methods, and sustainability can coexist simultaneously in a single project.
The project is designed with a distinct appearance compared to other houses in the area and takes the form of a semi-detached house with separate entrances side by side. Each unit features an independent office space on the ground floor and four bedrooms with two bathrooms on the upper floors. The steel frame, wooden floors, metal facades, refurbished windows, railings, glass, insulation, and even interior gypsum boards are all sourced from recycled materials or leftovers from other projects.
The building permit for the project was issued based on the general specifications of the materials, and its design was carried out in a way that allows engineering modifications during the construction process depending on the availability of recycled materials. This flexible design approach is one of the key principles of circular architecture. According to the official environmental performance assessment (MPG), Villa Residu performs about 56% better than the legal standard in the Netherlands and also has the capability for future disassembly and reuse of structural components.
As a result of this experience, V8 Architects believes that for broader development of this approach, infrastructure such as recycled material warehouses and material exchange markets are needed. Additionally, Rapp-Horst suggests that governments can facilitate widespread use of sustainable materials by offering financial incentives, enacting clear regulations, and imposing taxes on the consumption of non-recyclable materials; because currently, new materials are often cheaper and easier to implement than recycled ones.