Any proposition of construction should consider its subsequent deconstruction. The benefit of a low-carbon benefit strategy is void if the construction is unable to be adapted and retrofitted after its initial use has expired.

This project treats existing buildings as valuable building stock. The entirety of a building’s fabric is treated as spolia – repurposed building stone for new construction – and total reuse is enforced.

A decommissioned flour mill in Peterborough is used as both a site for building and a site for stock. The site is positioned as an urban quarry and is treated as an island. The removal of any raw material from the site is strictly prohibited and only existing materials can be reworked into the fabric of any subsequent proposal.

The development of a public house acknowledges the value present in the history and authenticity of a building’s fabric. The reworked fabric connects developing communities to the history of the area. As the community develops, future occupants can continue to use the architecture as a tethering point to a history that otherwise might be demolished.