Circularity and Re-use in Roman Building Culture from Antiquity to the 20th century
Re-used materials in the Severan restoration of the pediment of the Porticus of Octavia, Rome. Its now exposed pediment (invisible in Antiquity) can be seen to consist almost entirely of re-used architectural elements. Photo: Simon J. Barker.
This project unites specialists in architecture, architectural history and archaeology to assess how past societies applied the logistics of circular building in design and construction. The research centres on three decisive periods in the history of Rome – Antiquity, the early modern period, and the first half of the 20th century – considering how architects and craftsmen implemented resource- and energy-efficient uses of building materials. Historical in outlook, the research aims to inform present-day building practices.
To-date, the historical study of re-use and recycling in architecture is primarily considered within research on “spolia,” a problematic term that generally implies late-antique and medieval use of earlier Roman material. The majority of this literature looks almost exclusively at the “visible” re-use of distinct architectural elements, such as capitals, columns, and marble blocks. The collaboration of Simon Barker, Lionel Devlieger, and Elizabeth Merrill is distinguished in its assessment of both visible and invisible material re-use. In calling attention to the far more extensive applications of material re-use – including processes of deconstruction, building component salvage, and recycling – the project aims to enrich the history of architecture and construction, providing more accurate metrics for assessing the economic, technical, and environmental impact of these practices.
Project Info
Research group: Theory and History of Architecture
Start Date: 09/01/2022
Researchers: Simon Barker, Lionel Devlieger and Elizabeth Merrill