Coinciding with the launch of its digital registry of building materials and products this week, David Chipperfield Architects Berlin has joined Madaster Germany as one of their first architecture partners. Following the principles of the circular economy, Madaster allows the documentation, registration and storage of both the properties and values of building materials, making their reuse easier and helping to eliminate waste. By doing so, each building becomes a reservoir of materials.
Utilising the circular economy is a logical development of established strategies within David Chipperfield Architects, such as working with existing structures and the reuse of materials. Using digital planning methods, data from future projects can be transferred to Madaster via an interface, where it is documented and connected to various data sources on products and materials (e.g. life cycle assessment and CO² data), financial sources (the value of materials), and data sources on the health-related aspects of materials (toxicity).