Following the last M2.1 semester (ACT 1 and 2), where new materials made from the Euregio’s geo- and bio-resources were explored and a folly using these materials was designed and presented in a 1:20 model, this course takes the work further in two directions.

First, in ACT 3, the course will go on a field trip to Arles, France, to visit built projects that use similar materials and design strategies to those explored in ACT 1 and ACT 2. This will give students the chance to see how these ideas are applied in real architectural projects.

In ACT 4, students will develop an architectural proposal that imagines a future network of local resources. The focus will be on how material waste streams in the region around Aachen could be connected and reused, helping to create a more circular building economy. Alternatively, students can choose a specific research topic related to the course themes and investigate it through an individual research project.

Through both the field trip and the design/research work, the course encourages students to think about how architecture can work with local materials, resources, and circular systems.