Architecture & Circular Thinking (ACT)

From 2019 to 2025, the Architecture & Circular Thinking research group, led by Peter van Assche, explored the architectural possibilities of a new material paradigm. Together with research fellows Gerjan Streng, Laura van Santen and photographer Luuk Kramer, the group tested how circular thinking can shape architectural practice.

Architects with Attitudes, Recipes for a Regenerative World

Architecture often follows a closed loop of its own making: build, depreciate, demolish.
This book proposes another route. It introduces ten rebellious attitudes that help designers work with abundance instead of scarcity, with stories instead of spreadsheets, and with courage instead of dogma. From conservator to wizard, from bricoleur to alchemist, each attitude choreographs a new dance between people and materials. Through sharp analyses, unexpected visual narratives, and humorous anecdotes, Architects with Attitudes sketches design languages for the 21st century. It is not a manual, but an invitation to start bricolaging, think against the grain, and reset the game yourself.

The authors (Peter van Assche of bureau SLA, Gerjan Streng of Bright, and Laura van Santen of la-di-da) are practicing architects. Photographer Luuk Kramer illustrated every the attitude with visual essays). Together, they formed the research group Architecture and Circular Thinking (ACT) at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture.

The book will be published in September 2026. Ahead of the book launch, we produced a video series. In it, the research group introduces four of the ten attitudes: Peter van Assche explains the Thriftist, Laura van Santen talks about the Forester, Gerjan Streng presents the Banker, and Luuk Kramer introduces the Cathedral Builder.

You can reserve your copy of the book here.