Creating from what you have
Reversed design process
To cut down on waste in the production of glassfibre reinforced concrete facade elements and minimize environmental impact, the innovative facade concept scrapcrete was developed in collaboration with the design studio Certain Measures. Using data-driven analysis and generative design techniques, production offcuts are intentionally reused. At the heart of the concept is digital software that tracks leftover materials and develops project-specific design options. These so-called offcuts – leftover pieces from the production of glassfibre reinforced concrete panels – are systematically catalogued and given a new life. Rather than being thrown away, these materials are repurposed into new applications and aesthetically enhanced.
Rethinking resources: scrapcrete
scrapcrete follows a radically new design approach: instead of designing first and then producing the necessary parts, the process starts with what is already available – the residual materials. Under the motto “Creating from what you have”, waste is minimized while a new design language emerges, turning material scarcity into creative diversity. By leveraging digital technologies, the design process is reimagined around the resources at hand. This is not just about recycling offcuts but about creating designs with high aesthetic value. The outcome is a fusion of sustainability, functionality and aesthetics.
A patchwork of offcuts
The scrapcrete concept was first applied on a large scale in the construction of the company’s new production halls in Maishofen. Offcuts from over 500 m² of öko skin slats were processed, generated via specialized software from leftover pieces and arranged like a “patchwork quilt.” The irregularly sized elements allowed a mosaic-like facade, giving the material not only a second life but also new design value. The visual and conceptual reference to the traditional Pinzgau patchwork quilt is intentional. This regional cultural artifact, made from sewn-together fabric remnants, represents a conscious use of available materials. Just as a quilt transforms seemingly worthless scraps into a functional and aesthetic whole, scrapcrete combines resource efficiency with design ingenuity. scrapcrete showcases how circular thinking, digital technologies and architectural aesthetics converge to open new paths for sustainable and culturally rooted construction in the future.
