A
Design and Production of Biobased Plastic Solutions in Architecture
Name
Oliver Uhre Nerild
Education degree
Kandidat
Fagfelt
Architecture
Institute
Architecture and Technology
Program
Architectural Technology
Year
2026
Research Question: Can we transform waste streams into the foundation for future building components?
The project investigates how residual resources can be transformed into new materials for architecture and construction. Through material research and bioplastic development, three principles are explored: rigid boards made with reclaimed wood fibres, translucent panels and lightweight bioplastic foam for insulation.
The research focuses on biodegradable building components and resource-efficient production methods, exploring how alternative material systems can contribute to a more circular building industry.
4th Semester Project Brief: Transforming Agricultural Resources into Future Building Components
While agricultural land continues to shape the Danish landscape, its production structure is changing. Fewer but larger farms leave behind agricultural buildings that have lost their original purpose.
This project explores how these remaining structures can become resource banks for future architecture. Through two barns in Sigerslevvester, existing constructions and local resources are transformed into new architectural possibilities.
Barn 1 becomes a cultivation space for making, learning and material development, while timber from Barn 2 is reused as a new structural system. Alongside this transformation, agricultural resources and residual materials are developed into biodegradable building components through bioplastic research.
The project proposes a new relationship between agriculture and architecture, where existing buildings and local materials become active resources for future circular construction.
Project statement: Agricultural buildings are not finished chapters — they are flexible structures awaiting new purposes.
A Landscape Still Shaped by Agriculture
The industrialisation of agriculture has transformed the Danish landscape. Since 1970 the number of full-time farms has decreased from around 200.000 to approximately 5.000 today, while the cultivated land area has remained almost unchanged. The same amount of land is now managed by fewer but significantly larger farms, with agriculture still covering around 60% of Denmark’s total area.
As larger farms expand by taking over surrounding agricultural land, the land remains in production while many existing buildings lose their original purpose. At the same time, traditional barns and smaller agricultural structures often no longer meet the spatial and functional requirements of modern agriculture. This development has left approximately 30 million m² of unused agricultural buildings — a number expected to increase to around 60 million m², equivalent to the size of a larger Danish municipality.
So how can these remaining structures become resources for future architecture instead of unused building mass?
Data from https://www.dst.dk/da/ & https://realdania.dk
Two Barns. Two Resources.
The project takes its starting point in two agricultural barns with different conditions and potentials.
Barn 1 is transformed into a new space for material development and production. The existing structure is preserved and adapted to accommodate new functions, creating a connection between agricultural heritage and future material innovation.
Barn 2 is approached as a resource bank. Instead of demolition resulting in material loss, the existing timber structure is carefully dismantled and reused as a new structural element within Barn 1.
Together, the two barns create a circular transformation strategy where existing buildings and materials become the foundation for new architectural possibilities.
Placement
The two barns are located in Sigerslevvester, a small village in North Zealand, Denmark, approximately 5 km east of Frederikssund. The site is situated within a rural landscape characterized by agricultural fields and scattered farm structures.
EXIST. Drawings of Barn 1
(Plan, section & elevation)
EXIST. Drawings of Barn 2
(Plan, section & elevation)
Transformation Concept – Structural Reuse
Timber trusses from the Barn 2 scheduled for demolition are carefully dismantled and reused as a new structural system within the existing Barn 1. The inserted structure strengthens the building while transforming the spatial qualities and extending the lifespan of the original materials.
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Material Experiments - Three Bioplastic Principles
1. Bioplastic Panels
A panel system made from biobased materials with a focus on biodegradability, circularity, and low-impact production methods.
2. Reclaimed Wood Composite Boards
A board material created from residual wood fibres that would otherwise end up as waste or landfill. The fibres are combined with bioplastic as a natural binder, creating a recyclable and biodegradable alternative to conventional boards.
3. Bioplastic Foam
A lightweight foam material developed from bioplastic, exploring its potential as insulation while creating translucent qualities and light diffusion.
All three principles are developed with a shared focus on biodegradable materials, resource efficiency, and production methods that reduce environmental impact.
From Small-Scale Testing to Full-Scale Material Applications
Production of: Translucent Bioplastic panel
The liquid bioplastic mixture is first poured into a mould where it begins to solidify. Once stable enough to handle, the material is removed and placed between two wooden press frames covered with linen fabric. The breathable layers allow the material to dry evenly while keeping it flat and controlled during the curing process, resulting in a thin translucent bioplastic panel.
Production of: Translucent Bioplastic panel (Thermal Material Testing)
The cured bioplastic was exposed to heat to investigate its thermal behaviour and ability to be reshaped. The test explored whether the material could function as a thermoplastic by softening and reforming after curing. Through heat exposure, the material became malleable again, allowing further forming while accelerating the curing process.
Production of: Translucent Bioplastic panel (Material Application Testing)
The bioplastic was applied onto a stretched fabric frame through dipping and brushing to investigate alternative production methods. The test explored the material’s behaviour during curing, including the tension created by shrinkage and the structural limits of the wooden frame. This process helped define the possibilities and limitations of applying bioplastic as a surface treatment.
Production of: Wood Fibre Boards & Biofoam
(Bio-Based Building Component Testing)
Residual wood fibres were combined with a bioplastic binder and cast into rigid boards, exploring how waste materials can be transformed into new building components. Alongside the boards, a lightweight biofoam was developed by creating a porous material structure, testing the potential for insulation and lightweight architectural applications.
Application of Bio-Based Building Components
The material experiments are translated into architectural applications within the existing barn structure. Translucent bioplastic panels and biofoam are combined as lightweight components, exploring acoustic regulation, insulation and atmospheric qualities. Wood fibre boards made from residual resources are implemented as interior wall cladding, creating new surfaces from locally available materials.
Reused Aluminium Frame System
Reclaimed aluminium profiles from discarded window elements were collected and repurposed into a new framing system for the translucent bioplastic panels. The existing profiles provide a lightweight and reusable structure, allowing the bioplastic components to be mounted and suspended from the new timber truss system.
Final Outcome of Models
The Royal Danish Academy supports the Sustainable Development Goals
Since 2017 the Royal Danish Academy has worked with the Sustainable Development Goals. This is reflected in our research, our teaching and in our students’ projects. This project relates to the following UN goal(-s)
