Structural component reuse of precast and cast-in-place reinforced concrete in architecture since the late 1960s in Europe

The reuse of concrete pieces salvaged from structures undergoing transformation or demolition into new architectural projects has gained a sudden and visible interest over the past five years. However, the practice of reusing concrete pieces in new structures has a little-known several-decade-long history, with documentation referring to precedents as old as the late 1960s. Based on a pre-existing database of built and unbuilt precedents in Europe and new literature search, this research discusses the co-evolution in time and space of the reuse of two types of reinforced concrete: precast reinforced concrete and cast-in-place reinforced concrete. Results highlight the diversity of precast elements reused since the late 1960s and the emergence of cut cast-in-place concrete reuse since the late 2010s. More importantly, the study highlights the scarcity of the practice and how its nature compares to other material reuse activities. Finally, the study questions how, in the absence of a radical decrease of demolition activities, reusing concrete rather than crushing it may become a more common practice.