Palermo – The ARCES High School, in collaboration with the Palermo Order of Architects, the Arenella Neighborhood Laboratory, Officine Scalo 5B, the Antiche Fornaci Majorana, and the Guglielmino Cooperative, organized the first edition of the continuing education course “From Circular Thinking to Construction: Prototyping with Bio-Based Materials.”
The course, funded under the Erasmus+ Program and the CiD Innovation Alliance project, of which ARCES is Partner, involved 16 students and young professionals in architecture, urban planning, design, engineering, and technology, all interested in circular practices and construction using bio-based materials.
A central element of the program was small-scale experimental work at the Officine Scalo 5B facilities, where participants tested hemp–lime mixtures, experimenting with proportions, mixing techniques, molding processes, and drying times. These activities allowed participants to understand the properties of the material and explore its use in sustainable construction and climate-neutral urban furniture.
Prototyping was employed as a teaching tool to bridge theory and practice and translate the principles of circular design into concrete building components.
The course also included specialist lectures from international experts:
- Elena Catalano, Architect, USI AAM, Switzerland
- Zeno Franchini, Designer, Co-Head, IED Torino, Italy
- Ilgin Ezgi Tunc, Architectural Scientist & Researcher in Natural Materials, Tokyo, Japan
- Tina Ekener, Baubüro InSitu, Switzerland
- Alessandro Pernice, EU Affairs Expert & Senior Project Manager, ARCES, Italy
The course results were presented in Vilnius by Alessandro Pernice on March 19, 2026, at Rupert – Center for Art, Residencies and Education, during the workshop “How Continuous Education Can Enable Circular Construction,” part of the Circular Design Symposium “What Goes Around Comes Around.” The meeting fostered dialogue on skills, sustainability, and climate-neutral cities.
🔗 More information: https://rsvp.archfondas.lt/WGACA_workshop
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Contacts
ARCES – High School
Alessandro Pernice
Head of Unit – European Programmes
