Circular House: Architects Design a Studio Based on the Circular Economy and Sustainability Principles

Designed by the offices Flock design arquitetura e cidades and Okna arquitetura and built in the Pinheiros neighborhood of São Paulo, the Circular House is a building designed for the circular economy and inspired by cradle-to-cradle design. There are many differences between this type of construction and the traditional one, but what definitively separates these models is the question: “what happens next?”

In a circular economy, buildings are understood as material banks that can be reused for future cycles of use: whether in other constructions (assembly and disassembly), in expansions or reductions, or by dismantling and transforming their materials into new products with new uses.

While there is still a long way to go before the industry produces a wide range of construction materials that meet circular design values, this is a necessary and urgent process of continuous improvement. The Circular House prototype is a 30-square-meter studio, conceived as a starting point in this direction. The first step was to search for commercially available materials and systems that met these criteria. The building was assembled using wood-frame panels and modular, prefabricated components that allow for customization and follow the described criteria.

"Most of the time, what is available to enable our activities are traditional construction systems that generate countless negative impacts on the environment and society. And some questions linger in our minds: why does construction contribute so aggressively to the depletion of natural resources? Why are so many of our building materials toxic? And what happens to all the materials used after the disposal of construction waste and the building itself? Furthermore, are there other ways of building, different from conventional methods, that, combined with planning and good design, can result in buildings that make effective use of natural, material, and financial resources?" - Léa Gejer and Katia Sartorelli Veríssimo

Maximum natural light and fresh air were extensively prioritized. Vertical openings (doors and windows), along with skylights (sawtooth roofs/light tubes in the ceiling), not only provide indirect light but also function as a chimney system for warm air, which rises due to the thermodynamic layout of the building, acting as a sort of natural air conditioning. As a result, artificial light is only needed at night. Water supplying the studio is harvested from rainwater, and wastewater is treated through a banana circle planted near the building. The banana tree itself filters the water again, allowing it to safely return to the system.

The idea behind the project is for it to be “recyclable” rather than just “recycled.” Even so, there is room for material reuse: the house's foundation was made with used tires and gravel, and the exterior cladding consists of wood sourced from another construction site, where it had been used as concrete formwork.

In this type of construction, planning is essential for the continuous optimization of the resources involved. It took 3 months of design and planning, 15 days of pre-production, and 10 days of on-site assembly. Construction was fast, with clear deadlines and a predefined cost, producing no waste and eliminating the need for dumpsters. Furthermore, it can be disassembled and reassembled in another location.

We know that building is necessary, as well as an opportunity to generate positive impacts. Moreover, the architecture we produce reflects our cultural and intellectual moment as a society. - Léa Gejer and Katia Sartorelli Veríssimo

The project is the result of the architects' constant quest to propose an alternative way of inhabiting the planet. The exercise is to think about buildings beyond their form and function, understanding them as places that must be healthy, circular, and effective—a path toward a future of abundance rather than scarcity.