Architect Barbara Buser promotes circular construction in Switzerland

Swiss architect Barbara Buser is gaining recognition for her commitment to circular construction, a practice focused on reusing existing buildings and materials rather than demolishing them for new builds.

Her project K. 118, a former carpentry factory in Winterthur, serves as a primary example of this approach. The structure utilizes salvaged materials, including a steel staircase from a Zurich office building, massive beams from a Basel distribution center, and eighty windows from a building slated for demolition. The interior features compressed straw bales and local clay coatings.

Research from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences indicates that the K. 118 project reduced embodied carbon emissions by nearly two-thirds compared to conventional construction methods. In 2021, the project was honored with the Holcim Global Gold Award for sustainable construction.