/THÝAAR/


Thýra (door, threshold, beginning) + RAAR (Reusable Architectural Assemblies Research)

THÝAAR is a not-for-profit design research initiative focusing on developing reusable architectural assemblies. Four benchmarks define the work: 1. Faster to build than conventional light frame systems. 2. As easy to disassemble as to assemble. 3. As economical as traditional light-frame systems, with better structural and functional performance. 4. Adaptable to a wide range of designs and layouts. What follows are periodic updates recording this ongoing endeavor. THÝAAR is directed by Pouya Khadem and it’s based in Houston, TX.
MARCH 2026  |  RESEARCH  |  NOTE C

Matrix of Circularities, An Ecosystem

This research advocates for a build-as-you-grow model: a minimal, functional core expands as demand and capital allow. Drawing on high-precision offsite manufacturing, new elements can integrate seamlessly through dry assembly, enabling the ability to expand without disrupting ongoing operations or economic activity.

The ability to disassemble–opposite of expansion–allows for circularity ensuring the system to retain recoverable value; the structure functions as a material bank rather than a locked-in cost. CLT components can be removed, reconfigured, and reused across different projects, extending material life beyond a single building. Expansion and circularity reinforce one another: the building that can grow can also contract, offering adaptability and resilience against market and environmental uncertainty.


BIBLIOGRAPHY

  1. European Commission, CORDIS. "Buildings as Material Banks: Integrating Materials Passports with Reversible Building Design to Optimise Circular Industrial Value Chains (BAMB)." Horizon 2020 Project ID 642384, 2015–2019. https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/642384 and https://www.bamb2020.eu.
  2. Kręt-Grześkowiak, Aleksandra, Simon Bruhn, Arthur Arnt Vestergaard Jensen, and Morten Birkved. "Quantifying the Environmental Impact of Structural Timber across Multiple Future Lifecycles." Discover Applied Sciences 6, art. 197 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-024-05860-y.
  3. International Organization for Standardization. Sustainability in Buildings and Civil Engineering Works — Design for Disassembly and Adaptability — Principles, Requirements and Guidance. ISO 20887:2020. Geneva: ISO, 2020. https://www.iso.org/standard/69370.html.
  4. Woodcircles. "Project Overview." Woodcircles (Horizon Europe Grant Agreement No. 101082184). Accessed July 20, 2026. https://woodcircles.eu/project/.

Fig. C1.  The illustration demonstrates how Essential Seed can power an ecosystem in which CLT panels from one building lifecycle can be reused in another. The drawing explores potential scenarios showing how a typical mixed-use 4-over-1 development could respond to external forces, such as market demand. In this system, CLT panels serve as the currency. As a development goes through a reduction or expansion phase, recycled CLT panels either re-enter the ecosystem or are removed for reuse in the expansion. Thus, no single development tells the full story. Through the Essential Seed strategy, a matrix of circularities, each representing a building lifecycle, interconnects, feeding panels to and from one another, creating a system that extends beyond individual projects.