Design Museum Gent in Belgium has used 85,000 bricks made from local waste collected in Ghent to build its new wing, DING (Design in Gent).
Developed with materials specialist BC Materials, the Gent Waste Brick for DING turned discarded resources into a building material.
According to The Guardian, the bricks contain 63% construction waste, including pulverised concrete, porcelain and glass, as well as materials recovered during the museum’s redevelopment.
The Gent Waste Brick gives Design Museum Gent’s new extension a distinctive textured façade made without kiln firing. Design Museum Gent
Unlike conventional bricks, the Gent Waste Brick is made by pulverising waste and compressing it with hydrated lime, without kiln firing, reducing the environmental impact of production.
The lime absorbs carbon dioxide as it cures, while the bricks’ textured finish reveals the recycled materials used in the building.
Production took place at Het Arsenaal, where visitors could watch the manufacturing process up close and learn more about the circular principles underpinning the project.
BC Materials and Local Works Studio developed and tested the bricks specifically for the museum extension, with architects Carmody Groarke and other project partners involved in the wider development.
Design Museum Gent said: "The Gent Waste Brick for DING demonstrates how design, material research and local collaboration can contribute to more sustainable solutions for the construction sector.
"The project shows how innovative ideas can become tangible responses to today's climate challenges."
Designed by Carmody Groarke, Design Museum Gent’s new five-storey wing showcases innovative bricks made from waste collected in Ghent.Design Museum Gent
Designed by Carmody Groarke in collaboration with ATAMA and heritage architects RE-ST, the museum’s new five-storey wing showcases the bricks across its façade.
Carmody Groarke said: "City residents were able to contribute to the development of the brick through public fabrication workshops; the building’s façade therefore does not only embody the material resources of the city, but also a wider civic contribution to making the museum."
The extension forms part of a wider renovation and expansion of the museum in Ghent’s historic centre, adding spaces for exhibitions, education, lectures, events, hospitality, collection care and research.
