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Housing Design

Circular Drifter

Circular Drifter is a concept for a relocatable, disassemblable building serving as a living lab for circular construction solutions.
Illustration of the Circular Drifter Project: Exploded view of a building structure showing various layers and components, including walls, roof, and foundation.

Circular Drifter (2024) is a concept design for VTT, Technical Research Center of Finland in collaboration with the professorship of Sustainable Construction, prof. Matti Kuittinen. The concept design phase lays the groundwork for a further, extensive co-innovation project for a pioneering building designed for disassembly and material reuse, acting as a laboratory for circular solutions for its entire lifecycle in various locations. 

Aalto team: Heljä Nieminen, Havu Järvelä, Antti Lehto, Matti Kuittinen.

VTT team: Tuija Pakkanen, Robert van der Brink, Ismo Vessonen

Exploded view of a modular building structure with walls, roof, and interior components. Includes logos of collaborating companies.
Flowchart with black lines connecting locations Turku, Espoo, Helsinki, Lahti labelled Gallery, Housing, Cafe, Employment Services Hub.
Diagram showing circular flow of materials through repair, recycling, and reuse, labelled 'Circular Drifter' by VTT and Aalto University.
A modern cafe with high ceilings, large windows, a reception desk, chairs and red details. Trees are visible through the windows.
3D model of a modern café with a large slanted roof made of panels. It has a boxy base structure and is white in colour.
Architectural floor plan of a cafe with customer space, kitchen on 1st floor, and gallery on 2nd floor.
Minimalist 3D-rendered building design with an asymmetrical roof, labelled as an employment services hub.
Floor plan showing meeting rooms, lobby, HVAC area, and large event space. Scale indicators and canopy area are included.

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See also

Closing Loops

RESEARCH PROJECT. The Mustikkamaa pilot project, undertaken by Aalto University and the City of Helsinki, seeks to be a pioneer in circular economy construction by using materials sourced from demolition sites.

Modern storage building with grey facade with wooden details and windows surrounded by trees and grass under a clear blue sky.

Research & Publications

The team of the professorship of Housing Design publishes both artistic and scientific publications.

Housing Design

The Professorship in Housing Design conducts internationally recognized and impactful architectural design and research, applying this knowledge in its teaching. The research and design efforts concentrate on two main areas: housing design quality and circular construction, with a vision for the future of housing, particularly in the Nordic region. Since 2022, the team has been led by Assistant Professor Antti Lehto

Modern row house with wooden cladding, large terraces, and potted plants outside, under a partly cloudy sky.
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