1.Lectures Kristiaan Borret | Reuse: From Pioneering to Mainstream
Arcam and the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture present the 1.Lectures – Repair and Renewal, a lecture series for students and anyone interested in designing within the context of climate challenges.
On May 7, Kristiaan Borret will give a lecture at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture on the shift of reuse in construction: from pioneering practices to a mainstream approach. Drawing on experiences from Brussels, he will show how reuse—ranging from materials to entire structures—can be scaled up and make a significant contribution to reducing CO₂ emissions in the construction sector.
For years, the reuse of materials has been rising steadily on the agenda of sustainable urban development, including in Brussels, where Rotor has been an influential pioneer. From high-quality natural stone to intact sanitary elements, salvaging materials from demolition sites is clearly valuable. Yet the urgency is increasing: more is needed than cherry-picking. After all, the majority of embodied carbon lies not in finishing materials, but in a building’s concrete structure.
If we want to achieve a systemic impact on reducing CO₂ emissions in the construction sector, we must look beyond the icing on the cake and address the cake itself. Scaling up the transition in how we build is therefore essential.
In Brussels, both formal instruments and informal practices—together forming the ‘soft power’ of the Bouwmeester Maître Architecte (BMA)—have been used in recent years to systematically embed reuse of materials, structures, and buildings in major public tenders, private real estate projects, and the regulatory framework of the building code.
Today, reuse in urban development can no longer remain a niche. While it may still be in its infancy, the ambition must be to make it mainstream
About Kristiaan Borret
Kristiaan Borret is an urban planner and policymaker focused on enhancing spatial quality in urban development. From 2015 to 2025, he served as Bouwmeester Maître Architecte (BMA) of the Brussels-Capital Region, following his role as City Architect of Antwerp. He works from an integrated perspective in which design, policy, sustainability, and social context are closely intertwined. He is also a professor of urbanism at Ghent University and a supervisor of urban transformation areas in Amsterdam. His work is characterized by bridging theory and practice and by using “soft power” to strengthen spatial quality.
Visitor Info
1.Lectures – Kristiaan Borret
Date: Thursday, 7 May 2026
Time: 19:50 doors open | 20:00 lecture starts | 21:15 end
Location: Amsterdam Academy of Architecture
Address: Waterlooplein 211–213, 1011 PG Amsterdam
Tickets: €9 regular (including an entry ticket to Arcam! – Get your free entry ticket via Ticketstraat).
Free: for staff and students of the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture (available via the ticket button)
Note: The language of this lecture series is English.