Gent Waste Brick for DING

The ‘Gent Waste Brick for DING’ is a low carbon brick made from recycled municipal waste from the city of Gent. The brick has been developed for the construction of the new wing of Design Museum Gent. As part of a masterplan to transform Design Museum Gent, the museum is undertaking a major renovation project to extend its existing buildings. Due to start on site in 2025, the new wing will house galleries and event spaces to broaden the museum’s cultural programming and visitor outreach. 

To lower the embodied carbon used in the project’s construction and meet the client's brief for the new extension, a lime-cured, local waste brick has been developed and certified for use on the building’s façade. The project has been funded through a generous grant from Circular Flanders and sogent, on behalf of the City of Gent, and researched in collaboration with Design Museum Gent, sogent, Carmody Groarke, BC Materials, Local Works Studio and TRANS architects. 

The bricks have undergone a robust development process that includes testing against European Norms and consultation with the certification body for the construction sector BCCA (Belgian Construction Certification Association). Through rethinking traditional manufacturing processes, the project addresses complex issues surrounding the circular economy in construction including the viability of localised construction, availability of local resources and the testing of recycled materials. 

Key facts and figures: 

• Made from 63% recycled municipal waste aggregates from the city of Gent 
• The bricks are unfired, allowing for carbonation in atmospheric conditions and reducing the energy associated with fired brick production 
• A Gent Waste Brick has 1/3 the embodied carbon of a typical clay fired brick - Certified for use (September 2022) in construction on the external facing façade of the new wing of Design Museum Gent 
• Residents will be given the opportunity to make a brick as part of the museum’s unique engagement programme. 

The project was only made possible through the knowledge and skills of the project consultants and the support, enthusiasm and bold vision of the project clients: sogent and Design Museum Gent.