Unveiling the Hidden Value of Construction Waste

At the Copenhagen Architecture Biennial 2025, the Danish architecture duo Slaatto Morsbøl presents two projects: Hands On and Inside Out, Downside Up. Both explore new ways of working with discarded materials in architecture and show how waste can gain fresh value through design.

Hands On: Giving construction waste a new role

From 19 September to 19 October 2025, Hands On takes place at Prospekt Space in Copenhagen’s Vesterbro district. For two years, architects Cecilie Morsbøl and Thelma Slaatto have worked at demolition sites and waste facilities. They collected materials that many considered worthless, such as broken bricks, timber offcuts and ventilation pipes. Instead of discarding them, the duo transformed these elements into new architectural components, models and prototypes.

The exhibition acts as a living laboratory. As the weeks pass, Prospekt fills with new samples and mock-ups. Visitors can see the progress, touch the materials and join workshops and seminars. These events involve builders, architects and designers, which encourages debate about the logistics and aesthetics of reuse. As a result, Hands On becomes more than an exhibition. It turns into an active platform for sharing ideas.

Inside Out, Downside Up: A pavilion of reimagined materials

In addition to the exhibition, Slaatto Morsbøl designed the pavilion Inside Out, Downside Up. This structure responds to the biennial theme Slow Down by creating a sensory space. The architects used reclaimed elements such as perforated bricks, ventilation pipes, timber and thatched straw. By cutting and inverting these pieces, they revealed textures and surfaces that usually remain hidden.

For example, halved perforated bricks are stacked inside wooden frames. Their rough inner sides absorb light and air more effectively than the polished exterior. The pavilion consists of modular wall, roof and floor parts, all tested in full-scale mock-ups. In this way, the architects proved that even low-value materials can create expressive and durable architecture.

Circular innovation for designers

Together, the two projects highlight the creative potential of circular design. Architects and interior designers can see how construction waste becomes new structures with unique aesthetics. Product and material designers can discover how undervalued matter offers inspiration for forms and textures. Moreover, both projects show that circularity links sustainability with design quality.

Rethinking material value

Ultimately, Hands On and Inside Out, Downside Up invite the design community to rethink how we value resources. The projects demonstrate that reuse is not only a technical solution but also a creative opportunity. Therefore, what once looked like waste can become the starting point for functional and poetic design.

Source: Slaatto Morsbøl / Copenhagen Architecture Biennial 2025