CirceDC

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CirceDC is a competence center dedicated to the experimentation and development of innovative design solutions, oriented towards the refunctionalization, adaptability, disassembly, reuse and reuse of buildings and their components, reducing the environmental impact and optimizing the use of resources. It is a site for research, evaluation and certification of projects, systems and products compliant with Design for adaptability (DfA) and Design for Disassembly (DfD) in accordance with the European JRC Level(s) and with international and Italian standards. The Laboratory is part of a context of growing attention to the circular economy and sustainability in the construction sector. The mission is to support operators in the construction sector in the adoption of a circular approach to the architectural project in the search for integration between technological and spatial solutions and the need for evolution and functional prefiguration of the work over time.

Works

The following is a selection of major projects developed in recent years, where advanced research converges with practical application, generating outcomes that support civil society, public institutions, and the business sector.

Cross-disciplinary Educational Seminar "Designing for Circularity: From Concept to Construction to Reuse"

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International lectures

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Lecture Sapienza Università di Roma

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Collaboration with ITACA on the Revision of UNI/PdR 13:2026

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Participation in the HERST Exhibit and Talk

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Infoweb Prospecta Training Conference

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Lecture Politecnico di Torino

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Lecture and Guided Tour of the CirceDC OFFLab

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Selection for the National Klimahouse Future Hub Competition

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Continuing Education Course "Designing for Circularity: Architecture and Circularity"

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Consultancy for Mangini Partitions

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Design Workshop AUIC School, Politecnico di Milano and MADE Expo "Design for Circularity"

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Services

Below are the services offered by the CirceDC Unit to students, teachers, researchers and businesses.

The services are designed for designers, companies, and businesses—including public bodies (government bodies and administrations) and private entities (real estate developers and asset managers)—through consulting and research contracts.

Research and development
  • Development of construction solutions based on the circularity of the building and its components
  • development of disassembleable, reversible and multifunctional components/products
  • design of distribution layouts (for new buildings and renovations) oriented towards adaptability and convertibility over time
Feasibility Analysis and Environmental Performance Assessment
  • Feasibility analysis and evaluation of the "circular" quality of construction systems, components/products, spatial and construction technological design solutions
Installation tests
  • Installation tests of innovative products and components
Training
  • Training, education and refresher programs.

Other

Conference participation

2027

7° International conference Structure & Architecture ICSA 2027 “Circular+”

Title: “Design-for-X strategies for ageing buildings and users: toward adaptability, reversibility and circular reuse“

(Speakers Giulia Vignati)

2026

International Conference ReSBE 2026 “ReShaping the Built Environment through Sustainability and Circularity” Thessaloniki.

Title: “Design for Disassembly in Interior Fit-Out“

(Speakers Elisabetta Ginelli, Laura Daglio, Giulia Vignati, Alessandro Marco Greco)

2025

International Conference SGEM 2025 “Green Science for Green Life” Vienna.

Title: “Designing for Adaptability and Adaptive reuse: circular strategies for the regeneration of dismissed office buildings”

(Speaker Giulia Vignati)

2025

Simposio “PRO. Progetto Processo: Forme e mutamenti del pensiero architettonico attraverso strumenti, paradigmi e tecnologie” Università di Genova Corso di Dottorato in Architettura e Design.

Title: “Progettare per l’adattabilità. Innovazione normativa, sperimentazione e limiti nel Villaggio degli Atleti di Parigi”

(Speaker Giulia Vignati)

2023

Convegno “Legno e Green Building: buone pratiche di edilizia circolare e sostenibile 2023” Cersaie 2023 Bologna, su invito dell’Azienda Garbelotto.

Lecture: “Circolarità, Riutilizzo, Ri-Fabbricazione, di Ricerca e Sperimentazione”

(Speakers Elisabetta Ginelli, Giulia Vignati)

2023

6° Giornata di studio “Rifiuti e Life Cycle Thinking. Circolarità e sostenibilità” Politecnico di Milano, AWARE – Dip. Ingegneria Civile e Ambientale Gruppo di Lavoro Gestione e Trattamento dei Rifiuti & Associazione Rete Italiana LCA.

Lecture: “Life Cycle Thinking per lʼorganismo edilizio: il ruolo del progetto nella valorizzazione circolare delle 5R”

(Speaker Giulia Vignati)

2022

International conference ConFITECH 2022 “Technological Imagination in the Green and Digital Transition, sessione Technology, Sharing Innovation” Roma La Sapienza.

Lecture: “The acceptability of off-site Industrialised systems for Housing, Il caso cHOMgenius”

(Speakers Gianluca Pozzi, Giulia Vignati)

cHOMgenius

The cHOMgenius prototype building, designed by the research group and home to the CirceDC laboratory, serves as a full-scale experimental facility for testing dry-assembly construction systems and evaluating the in-use performance of building components and products. Designed according to the principles of reuse and design for disassembly, it is a fully demountable building whose components can be easily disassembled, replaced, and reused

https://www.dabc.polimi.it/it/progetti-di-ricerca/chomgenius

Our Partners/Clients

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURERS OF TECHNICAL ELEMENTS, COMPONENTS AND MATERIALS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Abet Laminati Spa
ALPAC Srl
BOLDARINO Spa
Comoli Ferrari & c. Spa
Cogi- Steelmax
ETERNO IVICA Srl
FOAMGLAS Italia Srl
Fontanot Scale Spa
Garbelotto
GSE – Krinner Italia
Index Spa
Polihub - KLIMAHouse
LIVITH Spa
Mangini
MadeEventi
Mangini s.r.l.
Metra Spa
Pantecnica Spa
Polihub
Polyglass_ Mapei
Resstende Srl
SANDRINI METALLI
Sanika GmbH
Si.Cop Etanco Italia Srl
Sil Società Italiana Lastre Spa
Sogeco
Tabu Spa
Tecnoelettrica Bragoni Srl

SMEs

B.F.C. Sistemi S.r.l.

Public-sector and private-sector institutions

ENPAM RealEstate
ALER Milano
Regione Lombardia

Local public administrations

Comune di Corsico
Comune di Limbiate

Comune di Monza

SSOs

UNI - ENTE ITALIANO DI NORMAZIONE

ITACA - Istituto per l’innovazione e Trasparenza degli Appalti