20 sustainable townhouses in the Ørestad district of Copenhagen. Upcycle Studios enables a circular economy solution for the construction industry. It presents a solution for sustainable architecture by “upcycling” building materials, and it enables sustainable living by enabling the people living there to make alternative choices.

The jury at the Danish Design Award said: “This project demonstrates how a circular economy can be established enabling new buildings to be created from “upcycled” materials. The building industry generates a huge amount of waste – up to 35% of all waste globally comes from the construction industry. Therefore, real projects that address this issue are timely and important.

The idea is not new but Upcycle Studios demonstrates good design, material innovations and process documentation that is highly praiseworthy and sets a great example for others to follow and join.”

The houses are designed to be spacious and to help promote sustainable living, creating a fine indoor climate and making sharing easier. Some areas can be used as offices and others as rental accommodation, or for workshops and other user-defined needs. Roof gardens and solar panels add the potential for the houses to be self-sufficient, helping to allow for a “circular” way of life in tune with the building, which the architects hope residents will adopt.