2024 Features and seminars

Marcin Maraszek & Maciej Kaufman – Archigrest

"Anthropocene Stone: Rubble concrete as the material of the future"

Marcin Maraszek and Maciej Kaufman – Archigrest
Moderator: Marcin Szczelina

In the era of global urbanization, concrete has become a symbol of modernity. With growing environmental awareness and the need to reduce the carbon footprint, the future of building materials seems to belong to rubble concrete, made from recycled demolition concrete. In the context of a circular economy, rubble sites are increasingly seen as "urban mines," a source of secondary raw materials for future construction. Concrete from demolitions, known as "urbanite," can be viewed as the "urban stone" of the Anthropocene era, especially in cities like Warsaw, which were literally rebuilt from rubble. An example of this process is the Warsaw Uprising Mound, where rubble gains new life as a resource and a symbol of the past, simultaneously restoring it to the memory of Warsaw's inhabitants.

Marcin Maraszek and Maciej Kaufman

Marcin Maraszek and Maciej Kaufman are the founders of the architectural firm Archigrest, which is involved in research as well as unconventional educational and workshop projects. Their work is inspired by the so-called "ruins of the future," which include unrealized and forgotten visions of a better tomorrow, abandoned construction sites, and spaces reclaimed by nature in their fourth stage. Their activities are based on thorough research and local conditions, leading them to form interdisciplinary teams of experts for specific projects. Their portfolio includes projects ranging from custom-made interiors, residential and public buildings, to parks and urban planning. In Warsaw, where they primarily operate, they have collaborated with topoScape to realize two parks on post-industrial sites, and their work has been recognized in several architectural competitions.