In this section, read and explore two core innovative concepts developed by the WOODCIRCLES project, then answer the questions below related to each one. The bars show, in real time, how visitors have answered, so you can see other visitors’ points of view.
How this activity works
1
WOODCIRCLES Concepts
Read the key ideas and answer
2
Design Your City
Imagine and place your building
3
Final Survey
Tell us what attracts or worries you
1
The Urban Sawmill
Timber is recovered and sorted into standardised products ready to be used again:
wood fiber
Short solid wood
GLT lamella
CLT lamella
Urban Sawmill
What do you think is the largest source of used wood in your city?
Urban Sawmill
Would you buy used wood, processed by the Urban Sawmill?
2
New urban rule: design for assembly & disassembly
Every new public building must:
✓Use as many Urban Sawmill components as possible
✓Be modular
✓Be designed for complete disassembly so all components can be reused
✓Be capable of changing function after disassembly
From a single baseline bay → a typical building → a whole urban blockThe WOODCIRCLES methodology, the system, the brief and the design method behind every reusable building
Design for Assembly & Disassembly
Why should we use a circular construction system?
Design for Assembly & Disassembly
What barriers do you think exist to using a circular construction system?
→
The Pilot Demonstrator's journey
Follow our journey across Europe.
After Tartu, the Travelling Demonstrator continues to Turin, then Rotterdam, and finally Copenhagen.
Design your city
Designing the second life of public buildings
Read the scenario and the mission, then complete the sections below. There are no wrong answers, we want your ideas and your honest impressions.
1
The scenario
The city of Tartu wants to become a leading example of circular construction. Until now its public buildings — a school, a library, a civic centre — were built as permanent structures, kept the same function until demolition, and then became construction waste. In Tartu's new vision, public buildings are conceived as material banks that can be disassembled, adapted and reused over time.
To make this possible the city has introduced the Urban Sawmill: an infrastructure that recovers timber from demolished buildings and construction sites and turns it into new standardised products ready to be used again — from wood-fibre boards to solid timber and CLT/GLT lamellas for construction.
2
Your mission
You are looking at the Pilot Demonstrator — a real example of a disassemblable timber structure. Imagine Tartu gives you the power to decide and design a temporary public building of this kind: something usually built to be permanent, but here it will serve one need for the next 10 years, then be completely disassembled and its modules reused to create a second building with a different function. On the next page, tell us what you would build, where, and how you feel about timber buildings that can be taken apart and reused.
Where are you from?
What do you do?
Your age
3
The first life, what would you build?
Choose one first function for your temporary public building:
4
The second life, what would it become?
After 10 years the building is disassembled and its timber modules are reused. Choose one new function for the second building (ideally different):
In one line, why is this second life valuable for Tartu?
5
Where in Tartu?
Explore the map and choose the city area where you would build it. Tap a photo to open a short profile of that area.
Selected area:none yet
Not sure which one to choose?
Why that area?
Final survey
Timber that can be taken apart and reused
Please complete the short final survey below. Your answers from the previous steps have already been saved.
WOODCIRCLES · Pilot demonstration, Tartu. This engagement activity is part of the WOODCIRCLES project, co-funded by the European Union (Horizon Europe).
Thank you!
Your answers have been saved. The next visitor can start a fresh card.
