Recycle!
Exhibition
April 11 –
September 10, 2025
Everything we build has value – even after it has been used. How can we rediscover the beauty of reuse and create a future where used materials gain new life and circular resources take on new value? How can reuse become part of architecture’s aesthetic? What does architecture look like if we stop throwing things away?
Construction is one of the world’s biggest climate offenders. We build, demolish, and discard resources as if they are infinite. But a new movement is gaining ground—we are starting to build circularly. Across different places, design and construction are being reimagined to make use of what already exists. More buildings are being preserved, and repurposed materials are finding new functions.
But how do we make reuse the most attractive choice in architecture? What does the future of architecture look like if we no longer see building waste as waste?
This exhibition presents architecture that challenges the way we build. See how concrete from demolished buildings is reborn in new structures. Feel how reclaimed wood finds new life in modern architecture. Experience installations that reveal the beauty of imperfection.
To change the way we build, we must rethink—together. Architects, engineers, and artists are developing solutions that are both functional and beautiful. But this transformation also depends on you. Only when we all recognize the value of preserving and repurposing materials can we truly change the future of architecture.
Reuse is not just a necessity—it is an opportunity. In this exhibition, you’ll discover how we can build smarter, more beautifully, and more sustainably by working with what we already have.
Photo: Lendager
A new life for old materials
Photos: Anders Holst Toft & Sarah Mølsted
The stories bricks tell
When the Old Stock Exchange burned down, we lost a 400-year-old national treasure. The fire and the now towerless ruin evoke strong emotions and remind us that bricks can hold a story.
The rebuilding of the Stock Exchange will be one of the largest reconstruction projects in Danish history. Over the next seven years, architects, craftsmen, and engineers will work to revive one of Copenhagen’s oldest landmarks by reusing bricks and iron fittings and bringing old craftsmanship traditions and mortar recipes back to life.
Photo: Hampus Berndtson
What can be reused must be reused
Nearly 60 years after its construction, the industrial building at Thoravej 29 in Copenhagen’s Nordvest district has undergone an ambitious and extensive transformation focused on sustainability. Instead of being demolished and replaced with new construction, the building has been reimagined in a way that points toward the future.
Photo: Anders Nymann Wejse
TRÆ: Materials Before Form
TRÆ in Aarhus is a groundbreaking example of how recycling and sustainable choices can create a new aesthetic that both respects the environment and challenges our perception of building design. Instead of designing the building first and then selecting materials, the architects reversed the process: they identified available recycled materials and created the structure accordingly.
A New Aesthetic Is Simmering
How do we handle the urge for a new kitchen?
We are replacing our kitchens at a fast rate – often more for aesthetic reasons than functional ones. Maybe we should start treating our kitchens with the same care as our sourdough starters – nurturing, feeding, and passing them down – rather than tearing them down and replacing them long before they’re worn out. It seems paradoxical that in an era where we cook less and less, we still change our kitchens so frequently.
Three podcasts about recycling
Should we abandon the dream of a single-family home?
Is our idea of the good life incompatible with sustainability?
Building freeze or building boom?
Is it really time to stop constructing new buildings, or is that just wishful thinking?
Can we learn to love the aesthetics of sustainability?
What if the architecture of the future doesn’t look like what we consider beautiful today?