"Where cities were once shaped by simple structures that could adapt to new uses, they are now packed with rigid dwellings-often designed with a single use in mind and fixed in both layout and lifespan. As climate deadlines tighten, communities demand more resilient, resource-conscious spaces, and work and living patterns continue to shift, this rigidity is becoming a liability. When buildings refuse to bend, they are often treated as disposable, triggering cycles of demolition, downtime, and loss."
"The statistics on the subject are well known: concrete alone contributes at least 8 percent of global emissions, consumes scarce raw materials and vast quantities of water, and reinforces the impermeable, heat-trapping qualities of urban areas. With an additional 2.5 billion people expected to live in cities by 2050, this impact will only grow unless existing buildings are used far more intelligently."
Cities are filled with rigid single-use buildings fixed in layout and lifespan, causing demolition cycles, downtime and loss as needs shift. Buildings significantly drive the climate crisis: concrete contributes at least 8% of global emissions, consumes scarce materials and water, and increases urban heat. With 2.5 billion more urban residents by 2050, impacts will grow unless existing buildings are reused intelligently. Local governments must act to maximize use of underutilized buildings. Circularity starts with reducing and reusing; adaptable buildings enable reuse and resource-conscious, resilient urban spaces. Adaptability is shifting from convenience to imperative for sustainable urban development.
Read at ArchDaily
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