Peter Salman — The Deconstruction Institute

Graduation year — 2022

Email — peter.salman@the-LSA.org

Phone number — 07596858921

Tutors — Jesper Henriksson & Akari Takebayashi

Location —Bethnal Green Gasholders

Size — 16,750sqm

Objective —

The Institute will look to promote the process of selective deconstruction over demolition within local Hackney residential redevelopment projects. The proposal will look to address the current ‘loss of nearness’ to materiality, craft and industry through prioritising community collaboration, creative re-use and deconstruction education.

Motivation —

In 2018 the UK produced 221 million tonnes of waste, with ‘CDE’ waste (Construction, Demolition & Excavation) accounting for over 60% of this, all contributing to the expectation that UK landfills will be overflowing by 2022. With demolition waste accounting for 90% of ‘CDE’ waste, and as Hackney Council continues to priorities residential redevelopment projects, it is evident that there needs to be a radical shift in attitude and education towards promoting building deconstruction over demolition.

Strategy —

In light of the three key design elements, the central spine of the proposal (containing the residential community design centre) is the fixed, focal point of the scheme. To either side are the adaptable shells, housing the two intersecting functions; creative re-use workshops and deconstruction material storage & handling. These two functions are designed to ‘guess tomorrow’ by adopting adaptable construction techniques and spatial conditions that promote interaction as you move through to the central spine of the scheme.

Impact —

The proposal looks to begin to provide the facilities to educate and encourage building deconstruction within Hackney. Simultaneously, it looks to engage local residents in an environment that combats the prevalent ‘take-make-waste’ culture through interaction with the creative re-use industry, ultimately fuelled by material re-use derived from building deconstruction.