Digital Creativity for Circular Construction

Description of the Implementation of the Course

DC4CC is an in-person, interdisciplinary, project-based course open to all departments since 2022. Students explore circular economy principles and digital technologies through a real-world case: scanning a building set for demolition, carefully disassembling it, cataloging materials, and designing and constructing a new structure entirely from reclaimed components. They work on-site for real clients, such as Walzwerk KITA, Kunsthalle Zürich, or ETH Immobilien. Students gain experience with computer vision, generative AI, extended reality (XR), and digital fabrication by applying these tools across the full reuse process, from disassembly to new construction. They are intentionally grouped into interdisciplinary teams that mix backgrounds in architecture, engineering, computer science and more, to develop project management skills through hands-on work. The course emphasizes experiential learning and collaboration to prepare students for careers in circularity and digitalisation. The course is delivered in person through weekly half-day sessions over 14 weeks. Each session starts with a short lecture (instructor/invited expert), followed by interactive activities within a modular sequence from disassembly, to design, fabrication, and construction (e.g., site visits, workshops). Around 70% of time is dedicated to active, project-based learning. Students apply tools, such as LiDAR scanning, photogrammetry, 3D modelling, computer vision, generative design, XR visualization, and CNC or robotic fabrication, to real-world challenges. Passive support includes podcasts, recorded lectures, a course reader, and selected publications that encourage critical reflection on circular design. To expose students to a range of perspectives, they are assessed by the teaching team and invited professionals on teamwork, design presentations (milestone desk critiques, midterm, final pitch), and a built prototype. To encourage critical thinking, peer and self-reflection is also used. Students are evaluated on both outcome and process, including response to feedback, idea development, and communication. Assignments include inventories, BIM modelling, and pavilions exhibited publicly (Kunsthalle/Biennale). Feedback is iterative throughout the design process, allowing students to test and revise ideas in real time. Students use Moodle to access materials and submit work. Communication happens via a dedicated course email and direct contact. The teaching team holds a retreat before each semester to align coordination. A key challenge has been coordinating interdisciplinary student groups with varied skill levels, which we address through clear role distribution and close guidance. During disassembly and construction phases, each student team is supported by a dedicated construction worker and safety officer. Guest experts from offices like Herzog & de Meuron, Roto, and Baubüro in situ give feedback across all project phases, from sketches to final builds.

Motivation, Project Mission, Vision Statement 

The mission of the course is to reshape how future engineers, architects, policy makers, scientists, and other decision-makers engage with sustainability by integrating circular economy principles through emerging digital technologies, such as AI, XR, scanning and digital fabrication. Motivated by the urgent need to reduce waste and emissions, the purpose is to close the gap between theoretical learning and real-world application. Students actively disassemble buildings, catalog materials, and co-design new structures in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders. These projects go beyond the classroom. Installations have been featured in external venues such as the Venice Biennale and Kunsthalle Zürich. The built structures have also been used by real clients (e.g., playgrounds built for a kindergarten). This enables students to learn hands-on about real-world challenges and constraints and turn them into opportunities. The prestigious venues in which the students‘ work is exposed also enables them to engage culturally in societal debates about the environmental impact of engineering work. The course is guided by core values of creativity, collaboration, and hands-on experimentation. Its vision is a future where circular construction is the norm and digital tools are used not just for visualisation but as active participants in sustainable design. The full-scale application prepares students to become leaders of a circular transition.

Innovative Elements

The course introduces a new teaching model by combining digital technologies (e.g., XR, generative AI) with full-scale circular construction. Based on teamwork and stakeholder input, this model prepares students to manage complex systems and is transferable to other fields. Flipped-classroom methods build critical thinking, while interdisciplinary teamwork develops systems thinking. Real-world projects strengthen skills in project management, stakeholder engagement, and scientific communication. Unlike typical AI/XR courses which can be overly technical, this course makes such tools accessible across disciplines and ties them to tangible outcomes. Site visits, expert input, and public exhibitions connect student work to cultural/professional contexts. The course is taught on location (e.g. at demolition site, or at Kunsthalle) instead of in ETH lecture halls. Student projects have been awarded the ArcAward, CRCLR Award, and Design Educates Award for their innovative educational impact.

Effects on Student Learning

Students engage in real-world disassembly, material tracking, and actual large-scale construction, gaining insight into the practical and technical complexity of circular building. They learn to navigate uncertainty, adapt designs to available resources, and apply digital technologies in physical contexts. Evaluations show strong motivation, collaboration, pride (external clients & awards), and a lasting impact. A student noted, «I had the opportunity to learn and use technologies that I don’t think that I would have the chance to see anywhere else.» An alumni noted, «We began with a diverse stock of materials and had to design around them, which was a new and challenging approach,» illustrating the course’s constructive learning approach. Many alumni go on to collaborate with firms they met during the course or pursue research on digital circularity. Students learn through iterative testing, peer exchange, and expert feedback. An expert noted, «so much creative and positive energy.»

Which elements of the project would you recommend to others?

Key transferable elements include hands-on, immersive, and field-based learning combined with real-world on-site practical work. The course proves that this method fosters profound engagement and practical understanding. Interdisciplinary collaboration across departments broadened perspectives and enriched teamwork. Iterative feedback and guest lectures brought diverse, real-world insights. The integration of digital tools such as AI and XR kept learning relevant and future oriented. Structuring the course around a concrete group goal such as building a pavilion for an exhibition and real-world users created purpose, ownership, and high student motivation.

Further Involved Persons

Circular Engineering for Architecture (CEA) Teaching Assistants & Collaborators