Structural Xploration Lab
The Structural Xploration Lab at EPFL (Switzerland), led by Prof. Corentin Fivet, unites architecture and structural design to advance the systematic upcycling and reuse of load-bearing components in buildings, contributing to the adoption of a circular economy by the construction industry.
The lab develops design methods, construction processes, full-scale prototypes, assessment procedures, scientific knowledge, and computational tools for the early stages of architectural and structural design. Its research and education activities are mission-oriented, driven by sustainability challenges, rooted in history, embracing complexity, and boosted by a pragmatic use of low- and high-tech solutions.
The lab has gained international recognition for its research and prototypes on the structural reuse of saw-cut concrete and concrete rubble, in particular through the respective PhD theses of Célia Küpfer and Maxence Grangeot, showcased at UIA 2026 in Barcelona.
The lab’s research on structural concrete reuse has been extensively explored since 2022, first through a full-scale pedestrian footbridge made of sawn concrete blocks (Re:Crete), followed by numerous full-scale demonstrators of structural systems such as slabs (Flo:Re), columns (rebuiLT), and walls (Re:bble).
By collaborating with partners in the construction industry, the Structural Xploration Lab bridges academic research into practice, fostering innovation for environmentally conscious building structures while remaining scientifically grounded.
