Dismantle Don’t Demolish – How Hospitality Design Can Lead the Way

Architects EAT makes the case for why the hospitality industry could and should be the ringleader in a new wave of sustainable design.

If you are familiar with Architects EAT, you’ll know we have been working in hospitality for 20 years. We are at a point of critical reflection in our practice, and our moment of contemplation is shared across most industries as we grapple with how to sustain our projects in the face of the climate crisis. Our profession seems to have fallen into a paradox of choice when it comes to actioning change and, to be honest, the ‘S’ word gets thrown around a lot. We would like to cut through some of the ‘sustainability fatigue’ and suggest that the hospitality industry instead champions the move towards dismantling, not demolishing projects. With an abundance of literature already available on sustainable architecture, why are we singling out hospitality? Can’t we just apply the lessons from the general architectural discourse to hospitality projects? Simply put, no we can’t. Hospitality has unique constraints. Our biggest challenge being the short-term lease cycles that small scale operators face, the type you might find in shopping centers. The businesses we’re referring to in this article typically have a standard lease term of five to eight years with an agreement to de-fit the space at the end of the contract. In no other typology of design do we expect to see a finished project demolished after five years. It is, quite frankly, a problem.

What excites us about the dismantle mantra is that it gives operators a chance to recoup some of their investment, while sustaining the building cycle. It’s a win-win solution.

Cue please the ‘dismantle, don’t demolish’ mantra. The movement has many names; dismantle, disassemble, deconstruct – but not demolish. In essence, the idea is to re-use as much of a building/fit-out as possible at the end of a project’s life. This concept is not new, but it is thrown into an entirely different light when you consider its application in the hospitality industry. The current, short term leasing model requires small scale operators to significantly invest in fit-outs that will inevitably be demolished. The financial waste associated with this cycle is staggering. What excites us about the dismantle mantra is that it gives operators a chance to recoup some of their investment, while sustaining the building cycle. It’s a win-win solution.

But, obviously, there are details to resolve. The radical design challenge for project leaders is to start designing fit-outs with removability as the end goal – we implore you to see the opportunities in this idea, not just question marks. We have to stop designing with adhesive-based construction methodology. We need to explore cladding systems that can clip, click and lock together. This completely transforms pre-conceived ideas about joinery into furniture-style hybrids. Consider the typical point of sale counter; there is no reason this traditionally built-in joinery piece couldn’t be designed to wheel in, plug in and wheel out once the tenant moves on. Building materials could be returned to suppliers, sold or reinstalled in the next fit-out.

We have to stop designing with adhesive-based construction methodology. We need to explore cladding systems that can clip, click and lock together. This completely transforms pre-conceived ideas about joinery into furniture-style hybrids.

After upskilling ourselves, we have other hurdles to leap over. Educating clients, shopping centres and selecting the right projects to trial this on are further things to resolve. It is important to remember that we are not without precedent in this conversation. A good portion of hospitality projects are already doing this with kitchen equipment, often 50 per cent of the fit-out in both cost and area. Kitchen equipment could teach us a few things; it is modular, can be leased, or sold second hand, as is frequently done in the industry.

If this idea is so good, why haven’t we seen the uptake in architecture? This question gets to the heart of why we see hospitality as the champion of this movement. Unlike other architectural projects where each client has a different aesthetic and identity, hospitality fit-outs are often a continuation of a brand. The design intent shouldn’t be comprised because the colour palettes and materials are likely to be referencing the existing brand. We acknowledge that projects are not currently designed for removal and that, as such dismantling is time consuming and costly. But hospitality projects are the only typology where removal is guaranteed. Designers could have responded to this quirk a long time ago.

The design intent shouldn’t be comprised because the colour palettes and materials are likely to be referencing the existing brand. We acknowledge that projects are not currently designed for removal and that, as such dismantling is time consuming and costly.

Have we done this yet? No. We really want to. We are trying to make a lot of noise about this idea. We’re participating in industry events, upskilling our own staff and are currently assisting the communications team behind the Australian Architects Declare movement. Ultimately, we want to live, work and play in buildings that contribute to the longevity and health of the planet. We hope ‘dismantle, don’t demolish’ sparks the interest of other practitioners who are grappling with the dual reality of the climate crisis and the bottom dollar. For two decades, we’ve watched and learned from the Melbourne hospitality industry, and now it might be time for us to teach instead.