Circular office in Düsseldorf / interior urselmann

Circular office in Düsseldorf / interior urselmann

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Text description provided by the architects. The construction industry is responsible for 60% of the total waste generated and is one of the most resource-intensive sectors in the economy. A necessary transformation towards a sustainable circular economy is inevitable. urselmann interior avoids the “design flaw” of waste – because in the designs of the Düsseldorf-based interior start-up, waste is synonymous with nutrients.

The young team in their own office proves that completely circular construction is already possible today. The entire interior fittings are made of healthy materials, removable by type and therefore recyclable for life. The goal is a durable interior without compromising modern aesthetics. The principles of functionality, design and the use of sustainable materials are combined.

“During the renovation of the office, the dismantling of the damaged ceiling and a layer of the floor alone generated around 4 tonnes of waste in only 74m² of space. This could only be incinerated or landfilled. because of their low quality. Until now, the reuse of materials was not integrated into the design process. “Already in the design phase, our goal was to avoid construction waste,” says Sven Urselmann, owner of urselmann interior.

All the materials and products used are either biodegradable (Biosphere) or upcyclable in the technical cycle (Technosphere) or construction products already in use (ReUse). The joints on the furniture are made mechanically to avoid the use of adhesives. Following the idea of ​​urban mining, all materials used were listed in a material passport and released for future use. Some products (e.g. heaters, lighting) were purchased through the building materials platform Concular.

In addition to the office, the coworking space and the showroom, the space can also be considered as a testing laboratory. “Developing our own desk has given us the freedom to experiment with new materials. This includes the process of naturally learning how different materials behave over time,” says Sven. “The interaction was also very exciting for me as a carpenter by training.”

At the end of 2020, the team of designers and craftsmen began to rethink their own planning and manufacturing processes. The step-by-step goal is to make a full transition to a circular economy based on the Cradle to Cradle school of thought and design. According to the principle “a nutrient remains a nutrient”, all the materials used must be able to circulate permanently in one of the two cycles. At the beginning of the design process, all constructions must already be designed to be circular and decomposable, as well as collectable and separable by type, in order to allow recovery at the end of their life.