A Visual Feast – Reclaimed by Penny Craswell

Constantly evolving conceptions of waste has allowed the salvaging, reusing and repurposing of materials to become embedded into design industry practices, permeating design ethos and profoundly impacting the architectural landscape. This shift in thinking continues to mould design ingenuity and award-winning architecture, and is celebrated in Penny Craswell’s latest book Reclaimed: New homes from old materials – an inspiring collection of pioneering homes revolutionising the way we use architectural waste.

Published by Thames & Hudson Australia, Reclaimed is comprised of 260 pages showcasing 24 unique homes and apartments from 12 countries. From a barn-inspired structure crafted entirely by reclaimed bricks to a semi-detached Edwardian with kitchen benchtops forged from plastic chopping boards and bottle tops, each project has been thoughtfully curated to showcase an extensive and inspiring catalogue of pioneering sustainable design. Flicking through the pages, Penny captures the beauty and creativity born from the relationship between design and sustainability, harbouring promise and trust in the future of architecture.

Flicking through the pages, Penny captures the beauty and creativity born from the relationship between design and sustainability, harbouring promise and trust in the future of architecture.

Welcoming readers into homes from all over the world, Reclaimed encapsulates individual styles and localised trends that speak to unique ways of reusing old to create something new. Each residence featured is categorised under brick, timber, metal or recycled and allows the reader to gain rich insight into the innovative ways salvaged and recycled materials have been used – found bathtubs; an entirely reclaimed brick home in Belgium; a home built solely from repurposed timber in the charming city of Hue.

Featuring residences designed by Arboreal Architecture and Studio 30 Architects, as well as interiors by Alexander &CO., Reclaimed is not only an inspiring visual feast but similarly offers tangible advice on how to source existing resources and support a circular economy. As such, the book provokes the reader into thinking about reclaiming and recycling what we’ve already been gifted from the Earth, acting as an invaluable guide on how to creatively execute sustainable practices.

Published by Thames & Hudson Australia, Reclaimed is comprised of 260 pages showcasing 24 unique homes and apartments from 12 countries.

Sydney-based author Penny Craswell is an editor, writer and curator who specialises in design, architecture and interiors. Published by Thames & Hudson Australia, Reclaimed is available for purchase 30 August 2022.