Rejoin Cycle - Rethinking Timber Joinery. A Path Towards Circular Construction.
Master’s Thesis. December 2023. 
Supervisors: Leonardo Belladelli( Politecnico di Milano), Markus Hudert( Aarhus University) 

The dominance of single-use building components combined with irreversible construction methods presents a massive environmental issue. Too often, well-preserved materials need to be discarded due to damage from demolition processes, while industries continue to produce new material components and extract more resources, leading to their depletion. In the past years of my architectural journey, I have realized that the problem of material waste and resource depletion is highly underestimated and under-discussed. I decided to learn more about the problem and explore design approaches that could potentially minimize it.

As a result of my upbringing in Norway, a country with an abundance of forests that have long served as a reliable source of high-quality lumber, contributing to the cultural significance and a long history of timber construction, I have developed an interest and sentiment towards wood. Currently, timber is presented as a sustainable material of the future, but we need to be mindful about the way it is utilized in construction. I decided on the two main focuses of my thesis work: combining a renewable material and a circular design strategy.

My Master's Thesis, completed at the Politecnico di Milano, titled
"ReJoin Cycle: Rethinking Timber Joinery—A Path Towards Circular Construction" delves into the concepts of circularity, material reuse, and disassembly by examining traditional timber joints and their inherent reversibility, tectonic qualities, and functionality. The thesis design investigates the feasibility of reintegrating these conventional joinery techniques into contemporary building design, particularly leveraging the current capabilities of digital fabrication, to emphasize their potential for reuse and flexibility. This thesis was a significant learning experience that directed me toward topics I want to explore further in my professional life.