From Ruins to Resilience: Sustainable Design Approaches for Post-Conflict and Disaster-Damaged Concrete Housing
Authors
Nielsen, Frederik Sejling ; Toussaint, Thor Møller ; Jørgensen, Victor Rosenkilde
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2025
Submitted on
2025-05-30
Pages
201
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger, om krigs- og katastrofeskadet betonboligbyggeri kan reddes og omdannes som et bæredygtigt alternativ til nedrivning og nybyggeri i lyset af byggeriets store klimaaftryk. Med den krigsskadede Block 82 i Northern Saltivka, Kharkiv, som case anvendes en forskningsbaseret designmetode, der væver strukturel ydeevne, miljøpåvirkning, kulturel relevans og arkitektonisk udtryk sammen. Arbejdet benytter finite element-modellering, dagslys- og termiske simuleringer, livscyklusvurderinger (LCA) og etnografiske interviews; fordi præcis skadesmodellering af missilangreb var upraktisk, estimeres ødelæggelsesmønstre via 3D-computergrafik, 3D-print og analyse af visuelt onlinemateriale. Med afsæt i spørgsmål om levetid, tilpasningsevne, materialegenbrug og brugerbehov udvikles strategier, der genindfører murbrokker som tilslag i ny beton og som materiale til inventar, etablerer fleksible rumlige rammer og forbedrer den miljømæssige performance, samtidig med at traumet i strukturen anerkendes uden at idealisere fortiden. I denne case peger resultaterne på, at en helhedsorienteret, kontekstfølsom redningsstrategi kan reducere udledninger, spare ressourcer og skabe funktionel arkitektur, der er meningsfuldt forankret i tid og sted. Undersøgelsen er afgrænset til casen, trækker på både danske og andre relevante standarder samt ukrainske indsigter, og foretages uden fysisk tilstedeværelse på stedet; potentialet for bredere anvendelse diskuteres, men generaliseres ikke.
This thesis examines whether war- and disaster-damaged concrete housing can be salvaged and transformed as a sustainable alternative to demolition and rebuild, given the building sector’s significant climate footprint. Using the war-damaged Block 82 in Northern Saltivka, Kharkiv, as a case, it applies a research-based design approach that intertwines structural performance, environmental impact, cultural relevance, and architectural expression. Methods include finite element modelling, daylight and thermal simulations, life cycle assessment (LCA), and ethnographic interviews; because precise modelling of missile damage was impractical, failure patterns were approximated through 3D computer graphics, 3D prints, and analysis of online visual material. Guided by questions of longevity, adaptability, material reuse, and user needs, the project develops strategies that reintroduce rubble as recycled aggregate in new concrete and as a material for furniture, combine adaptable spatial frameworks with improved environmental performance, and acknowledge the trauma embedded in the structure without idealizing the past. In this case, the results suggest that a holistic, context-sensitive salvage approach can reduce emissions, conserve resources, and yield architecture that is both functional and meaningfully rooted in place and time. The work is case-specific, draws on Danish and other relevant standards alongside Ukrainian insights, and was conducted without site access; broader applicability is discussed but not claimed.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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