Circular Architecture Accelerator
The Circular Architecture Accelerator (CAA) is a two-year training program consisting of four semesters, designed for architectural firms. Its goal is to share contemporary knowledge in sustainable architecture and construction. The broader aim of the project is to enhance architects’ competitiveness in circular and environmentally sustainable design, increase competitiveness in international markets, and foster discussions and knowledge exchange on sustainable spatial design between practitioners in the field of architecture and academia.
The CAA continuing education program is primarily aimed at practicing architects. Additionally, the accelerator includes key thematic blocks for representatives of the public sector engaged in spatial planning, developers, and seminars targeted at the broader public. The CAA program comprises seminars, study trips (to Oslo, Brussels, Zurich, and Copenhagen), and workshops. The program is developed and implemented by the Estonian Centre for Architecture, with co-funding from the European Union.
A total of 17 Estonian architectural firms have joined the full training program of the Circular Architecture Accelerator. The first cohort started in spring 2024, and the study group has been finalized, but participation is possible in selected seminars, study trips, and workshops.
Upcoming events
The ongoing third semester of CAA focuses on regenerative materials.
In architecture, regenerative materials are becoming increasingly important as they support sustainability and help shift the construction industry from a linear to a circular approach. These materials reduce carbon and environmental footprints and promote the sustainable use of natural resources. In Estonia, where a close connection to nature is part of the cultural identity, materials based on straw, reed, and clay can be used in addition to wood. The use of regenerative materials in architecture enables the creation of durable and sustainable buildings, contributing to the preservation of environmental integrity and supporting a sustainable future. Additionally, coffee mornings will be held to bring architects together with industry specialists and legislative experts.
CAA 4th semester: Autumn 2025
Buildings designed according to circular economy principles take into account the entire lifecycle of the structure and allow for components to be adapted, repaired, maintained, and restructured as needed. The goal is to preserve the building’s value in a changing environment by using adaptable and separately removable materials. Regenerative architecture goes beyond the physical structure to include the creative process, where design, material sourcing, experimentation, and expert collaboration are closely interconnected. This approach fosters a symbiosis between the material and social environment and encourages broader discussions about sustainability and aesthetics.
Climate Change in Architecture
CAA Semester 1, Spring 2024
The construction sector generates 40% of the world’s waste, with 80% of a building’s environmental impact being determined during the design phase. How can the emerging building stock contribute to achieving climate neutrality? What is the architect’s role in a warming spatial context?
Environmentally sustainable and conscious architecture is not merely a trend or a passing phenomenon but a value-driven approach to spatial design. It also encompasses the emergence of an entirely new architectural language and dialects, rooted in the unique environmental opportunities and resources of Estonia.
In the first semester, we will explore the impact of climate change on our built environment, materials, spatial planning, and legislation. While European sustainable energy policies have so far focused on reducing the environmental impacts of design and construction by prioritizing energy efficiency metrics for buildings, the more energy-efficient buildings become, the greater the environmental impact of the materials embedded in them. This includes the production, processing, transportation, construction, and demolition of materials.
In light of new international agreements, Estonia will also adopt a life-cycle-based approach to buildings, focusing on all phases with significant environmental impacts, both before and after construction.
Present(ing) resources
CAA Semester 2, Autumn 2024
The default designed lifespan of a building is 50 years. On the other hand, buildings are often constructed as if they were permanent, with material layers frequently bound into composite wholes that cannot easily be separated at the end of the building’s life cycle. This perspective of material as waste diminishes the value of construction materials (downcycling). However, architecture has the capacity to view material as a movable resource with residual value, whose worth can be enhanced through reuse or repurposing during deconstruction (upcycling).
In the Middle Ages, the architect and builder were often one and the same person, and architecture largely emerged on-site, intuitively shaped from local materials. By the Renaissance, architectural drawings evolved into abstractions of materials, and the architect’s connection to the material began to diminish.
Today, we have entered the realm of virtual material libraries and model-based design. To address global environmental challenges, spatial design must once again focus on the local context and material banks. Architecture should return to a material-centric identity, emphasizing materials that have already been produced or remain as surplus.
The term “Urban Stock” originally emerged from Japan’s industrial sector seeking independence from China, referring to the reuse of human-made material reserves. This concept is increasingly being integrated into architectural practice.
Regenerative materials
CAA Semester 3, Spring 2025
Materials from which we design the built environment are an inseparable part of the language of architecture and culture.
In architecture, regenerative materials have become increasingly important as our society seeks sustainable solutions to adapt to environmental impacts. Regenerative materials guide the construction sector away from the traditional linear approach to building lifecycles and materials use, and toward circular construction. These materials not only enable the reduction of the construction sector’s carbon and environmental footprint, but also play a vital role in the sustainable use of our natural resources.An integral part of regenerative materials is regenerative architecture. This is an approach that not only focuses on minimizing environmental harm but actively creates a positive impact on ecosystems and communities. This means that buildings are not merely resource consumers, but also supporters of biodiversity, carbon sinks, and energy producers. At the core of regenerative architecture is interaction with nature, where buildings not only consume fewer resources but also help restore natural diversity and support ecosystems. Energy and water management are also important, with regenerative buildings producing more energy than they consume and supporting closed-loop water systems, such as rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse.
In conclusion, applying the principles of regenerative materials and architecture means building in a way that not only avoids harm but actively contributes to the holistic improvement of the environment and society.
Lecture materials
Info and registrations
Lectures compiled by:
Andrea Tamm, Mariann Drell
Estonian Centre for Architecture