Resource Rows

Nominated for Mies van der Rohe Award 2022

What if we could bring our buildings with us when migrating from the countryside to the city? What if we simply cut down buildings as building blocks and reuse them in the ever-expanding cities?

The Resource Rows is using upcycled bricks and waste wood, a recycled concrete beam used as a bridge and old windows and waste wood as rooftop community gardens huts with an atmosphere of allotment gardens.

A significant and innovative concept is to reuse brick facades from abandoned structures in the new building, saving as much as 29% CO2 by upcycling only 10% of all building materials.

About

The 92 flats and rowhouses in the Resource Rows demonstrates that it is possible to reuse bricks from new buildings and waste wood without compromising on costs and aesthetics. The result is a project that saves CO2 and materials and creates strong communities among the people living in it – and it doesn’t cost more.

Recycling of bricks and other building materials is nothing new. It was only with the development of new, harder, cement-based mortar in the 1960s that bricks could no longer be recycled efficiently.

The scheme is arranged around a shared courtyard and roofscape. A significant and innovative concept in the project is to reuse brick facades from abandoned structures in the new building.

On the shared roof space, 29 residents’ greenhouse huts, used for cultivating fruit and vegetables or just to relax,

creates an instant community feel – the structures are made of recycled glass and window frames. Even the concrete TT beam-bridge across the courtyard connecting the two parallel terraces roof-to-roof is recycled, from a VAX factory nearby.

The courtyard and roofscape is a natural meeting place and tie the project together. “We tell everybody about it. We’re proud of the history of the project. You take ownership of it.” Birgitte and Kim said about living in the Resource Rows from the book Solution.

Sustainability is still considered as an adding cost factor. It doesn’t matter how good a design is; it will never be part of the solution unless it becomes cost-neutral, cheaper, or adds value to the project from day one. The Resource Rows did not cost more to build and is one of the most popular rentals and fast occupied projects in Ørestad.

Sustainable Impact

CLIENT IMPACT

  • A popular dwelling fully occupied and swiftly rented out in a challenging market
  • Successful transition from client to new owner
  • Constructed within material and building budget – 1% lower than target
  • Low maintenance and operational costs
  • Long-term sustainability strategy created for multiple partners in the project
  • Founded a sustainable building portfolio for the first time in Denmark
  • Knowledge platform created about circular construction
  • Established client as a front runner in circular economy

AWARDS IMPACT

  • Finalist in the Danish Design Award 2018
  • Nominated for the Mies van der Rohe Award 2022
  • Winner of the Licitationen Procespris 2020
  • Nominated for the Dezeen Award 2020

BIODIVERSITY IMPACT

  • 29 greenhouses/allotment gardens
  • 1-2 tonnes of green urban production
  • Harvestable plants, spices and fruits in the courtyard
  • Raised beds at common roof terraces
  • Stonecrop roof
  • Green zones between rowhouses and public street

COMMUNICATION IMPACT

  • Covered internationally in ArchDaily, Dezeen, Detail, Bau, Architects Journal, Arkitekten, Politiken, Berlingske, Børsen, TV2, DR, RAI, ZDF and more
  • Estimated value €300,000

RESOURCE IMPACT

  • Saving 463 tonnes of waste into materials.
  • Upcycle percentage, 29% CO2 saving per/m2 LCA.
  • Energy solar panels and water-to-air heat pumps (rowhouses)
  • Upcycle brick element, 84 elements.
  • Wood 60% CO2 saving.
  • Windows 86% CO2 saving.

SOCIAL IMPACT

  • Engaging the tenants through active and social life at the outdoor green roof tops and gardening.
  • Social rooftop gardens, public not privat.
  • Local choir, sings from the rooftop.
  • Common house for meetings.
  • Sharing station.
  • Bike repair station.

INNOVATION IMPACT

  • First-time use of upcycled brick elements.
  • Upcycled wood offcuts from the metro construction sites.
  • Upcycled wood offcuts from Dinesen.
  • First-time upcycled windows, performing better than benchmark.
  • Upcycle wood for facades, walls and floors.
  • Upcycled wood offcuts from Dinesen.
  • First-time circular innovations in DK transaction to the new company A:GAIN A/S, madeagain.dk

‘Saving 463 tonnes of waste into materials. Upcycle percentage, 29% CO2 saving per/m2 LCA. Energy solar panels and water-to-air heat pumps (row houses)’

Sustainable Impact

Resource

‘Covered internationally in Arch Daily, Dezeen, Detail, Bau, Architects Journal, Arkitekten, Politiken, Berlingske, Børsen, TV2, DR, RAI, ZDF and more.’

Sustainable Impact

Communication

‘Engaging the tenants through active and social life at the outdoor green roof tops and gardening.’

Sustainable Impact

Social

Location

Oerestad, Copenhagen

Clients

NREP
AG Group

Partners

NREP
AG Group
MOE

Year

2020