From Brownfield to Desirable Living

Cohousing group BioTope maps out circular lessons from construction project

Cohousing group BioTope, together with three partners, transformed the derelict Malmar factory next to the Bijgaarde Park in Ghent into a large collective housing project with 59 residential units and a neighborhood health center: the Bijgaardehof.

From the very start, it was a conscious choice to build according to the principles of the circular economy. To make that possible, we were closely involved as the client in the design and construction process. In doing so, we gained a wealth of experience, which we wanted to share to help guide other circular construction projects in the right direction.

We compiled all our lessons learned into nine detailed information sheets and four short videos. The three main themes are: how to deal with brownfield sites as terrain for a circular construction project, creating a smart building with material use optimization throughout the life cycle, and demonstrating circular innovative construction techniques.

With these sheets, we target other clients, the construction sector, and governments. The lessons are applicable to similar cohousing projects, but they are also relevant for other (collective) housing buildings and even for individual housing clients. We hope to inspire as many people as possible and provide them with practical tools to implement circular ideas in their construction projects.