Dutch architecture firm MVRDV has completed Matrix One — a 6-storey, energy-efficient, office and laboratory block constructed using over 120,000 reusable components. 。
The building is the largest of seven that make up the Matrix Innovation Center in the Amsterdam Science Park, which serves as a hub for scientists and entrepreneurs developing solutions to some of the world’s toughest challenges.。
Matrix One has been designed for disassembly: almost everything from the doors and windows to ceilings and furniture is fully detachable and reusable. Even the floors are made from prefabricated concrete slabs with no fixed connections — they can simply be unscrewed and removed. 。
MVRDV teamed up with Dutch startup Madaster to create ‘material passports’ for the building. These digital IDs store key information about each component — like weight, dimensions, and material characteristics — which aids efficient reuse further down the line.。
Once the building reaches the end of its useful life or gets renovated, these components could be available for purchase on a second-hand marketplace (think eBay for buildings). According to MVRDV, 90% of the building’s materials can be used again. 。
“In the future, we hope this is how all buildings will work,” said MVRDV partner Frans de Witte. 。
Construction and demolition is currently responsible for a third of all waste generated in the EU. Making the sector more circular — that is, to minimise waste to the furthest extent possible — has been identified as a key priority for the Dutch government, in line with its commitment to transition to a fully circular economy by 2050. 。
Parallel to the push toward circularity is cutting down the carbon footprint of buildings and infrastructure, which account for a whopping 37% global CO₂ emissions. Projects like Matrix ONE act as a testbed for many of the technologies needed to minimise these impacts. 。
“Matrix ONE offered an excellent opportunity for us to test a number of carbon-reduction strategies we have been investigating for a long time,” said de Witte.。
The rooftop of Matrix One is covered with a 1,000 sq.m solar array, with the rest given over to greenery, helping improve insulation. Lighting and heating are controlled by sensors and via a phone app, to reduce energy consumption. 。
Matrix One also has a restaurant on the ground floor, a bar at the top of the staircase, a 100-seat auditorium, and storage space for bikes.。