Works on OXY well underway!

While working together on the Multi project, Rotor was invited by Whitewood and Immobel to also anchor reuse in the redevelopment of the Centre Monnaie. The OXY project could well be considered a repeat act given the similarities between both developments, if not for the fact that we significantly raised the bar by doubling the reuse objective to 4%.

This summer, demolition and dismantling works have been completed and we’d like to share the results of the reclamation efforts. To be reused in the project itself: 170m2 of travertine wall cladding, 140m2 of granite facade cladding, 120 flush doors, 300 running meters of original aluminium facade profiles which will be reconverted to lighting fixtures by RotorDC , and 2 heat pumps.

Other materials have ended up in the caring hands of new owners. Veolia reclaimed another 2 chillers and 2 gas boilers for reuse in their own projects, 400 meters of cable tray were reused in Track, and a good number of lights, sanitary appliances and pieces of furniture were picked up by an enthusiastic crowd during a public donation. A large number of 1970’s wood veneer doors are still awaiting interested parties - do reach out for more information.

These are not insignificant quantities of materials, but we have to admit they are not meeting the project’s initial ambitions for reclamation. Even though these were well informed by the experiences in Multi, they were also first set in 2021, at a time when the construction sector found itself in rough waters, plagued by the consequences of covid-19 and the uncertainty in its wake. By the time the offers for the works were due, the ambitions were out of touch with the economic reality. This serves as a not-so-gentle reminder that reclamation and reuse still require some stars to align. Nonetheless, the team remains committed to the 4% reuse objective, and for the next two years until completion we will still be working hard to get there.

A collaborative effort with clients Whitewood and Immobel, designers DDS+ Architects, A.D.E. Architects, Binst Architects, Snøhetta, general contractor Cordeel and demolition contractor Demeuter.