REcube: REthink, REvive, REuse - Transmitting the knowledge for the green regeneration of the European Concrete Heritage

The REcube project was applied for to address the growing need for sustainable renovation and regeneration of 20th-century architecture, particularly modern concrete heritage. According to the EU ...

The objectives of the REcube project were to address the urgent need for a sustainable approach to the regeneration and conservation of 20th-century architecture, particularly modern concrete heritage. The project aimed to develop and promote a new mindset in the field of Modern Heritage Regeneration, focusing on research, innovation, and durability. Through a combination of Learning Teaching Training Activities (LTTA) and the REcube MOOC, the project aimed to nurture a new generation of professionals equipped with cross-disciplinary knowledge and skills for preserving and reusing modern architectural heritage. Additionally, the project sought to create a dialogue between academic and non-academic sectors, facilitating the exchange of knowledge through the REcube Guidelines for Practitioners. By the end of the project, REcube successfully contributed to raising awareness of the importance of sustainable renovation practices and fostering international collaboration in the conservation of modern concrete heritage.

The REcube project implemented a range of activities aimed at fostering sustainable conservation and regeneration of modern concrete heritage. The partnership was established through the signing of a Partnership Agreement and a collaborative approach throughout the project’s three-year duration. A key component was the development of a cross-disciplinary educational project in Sustainable Concrete Modern Heritage Preservation, primarily aimed at Master’s students from partner institutions. This was facilitated through a specialized teaching methodology, implemented via Frontier and REgenerate workshops. These workshops were preceded by the REcube MOOC, which covers relevant knowledge pillars related to sustainable regeneration and integrated multidisciplinary perspectives from both engineering and architecture. The REcube Learning Platform, hosted on the Politecnico di Milano Moodle platform, served as the digital hub for all preparatory materials, offering students innovative content. To enhance practical experience, students were engaged in internships with restoration-focused practices in engineering and architecture. Additionally, the project involved creating the REcube Guidelines for Practitioners, outlining sustainable methodologies for the regeneration of modern European buildings. Dissemination activities, such as multiplier events in Rome, Veszprém, and Brussels, helped raise awareness of the value of European modern concrete heritage.

The REcube project yielded several tangible outputs and significant results that contributed to the advancement of sustainable conservation and regeneration of modern concrete heritage. Key outcomes include: 1) Partnership Agreement (PA): Formalizing the REcube Knowledge Alliance, establishing an international collaboration for sharing innovative best practices in modern concrete heritage conservation. 2) REcube Academy Platform (R1): An open-source, online platform hosting learning materials for blended learning and the REcube MOOC (R2). This platform served as an aggregator for digital educational content on the sustainable regeneration of post-war architecture. 3) REcube MOOC (R2): A comprehensive online course addressing the sustainable regeneration of modern concrete architecture, integrating multidisciplinary approaches from engineering and architecture. 4) Learning Teaching Training Activities (LTTA): The Frontier and REgenerate Workshops, which were developed as part of the REcube didactical handbook, providing hands-on learning experiences. 5) REcube Guidelines (R3): A set of best practices for the sustainable regeneration of modern and contemporary concrete architecture, to be published in a dedicated fib bulletin. 6) Dissemination: Three multiplier events in Rome, Veszprém, and Brussels, to raise awareness and share project outcomes with a broader audience. These outputs are poised to become standard references in the field, contributing to international best practices and supporting the green skills development in the restoration and construction sectors. The REcube MOOC will sustain long-term engagement and drive global change in the conservation and regeneration of modern concrete heritage.