students turn reclaimed bricks into walls that can be assembled, dismantled, and rebuilt

Reclaimed bricks form a mortar-free modular partition system

Gjenreis is a modular construction system developed by Oslo Metropolitan University students Ariel Hammer and Åshild Limstrand that explores the reuse of reclaimed brick within contemporary interior environments. Presented as part of the Built by Design exhibition at 3daysofdesign, the project examines alternatives to conventional demolition practices by considering existing buildings as repositories of reusable materials.

Developed as a bachelor project in product design, Gjenreis, meaning ‘rebuild’ in Norwegian, proposes a mortar-free assembly system designed specifically for reclaimed brick. The system allows components to be assembled, disassembled, and reconfigured without permanent bonding, supporting circular construction strategies and extending the lifespan of existing materials.

Designed for environments that require flexibility and adaptation over time, including restaurants, hotel lobbies, and open-plan workplaces, the system forms temporary or reconfigurable interior partitions. The project emphasizes the material qualities of reclaimed brick, where traces of weathering, use, and previous contexts remain visible. These surfaces are paired with crafted wooden elements that contrast with the brick’s aged texture while supporting the modular assembly.

Gjenreis by Ariel Hammer & Åshild Limstrand | all images courtesy of Oslo Metropolitan University and 3daysofdesign

Built by Design explores material reuse & circular construction

Gjenreis was exhibited within Built by Design, a curated student exhibition curated by Madeleine K. Wieser and presented during 3daysofdesign. Bringing together bachelor projects from OsloMet, the exhibition explores how designers can engage with the materials, systems, and components that shape architecture rather than focusing solely on furniture and object design.

Developed through the course Critical Reflection in Design Practice, also led by Madeleine K. Wieser, the exhibition was produced in collaboration with industry partners including Gudbrandsdalens Uldvarefabrik, Lundhs Real Stone, Hydro Extrusion, Hamran, Henriksen Snekkeri, Sirkull, Kraftull, and Høine. The selected projects investigate themes of material reuse, construction methods, and circularity through interventions in wood, wool, aluminium, brick, and larvikite.

Presented as a spatial collage, Built by Design brings together fragments, prototypes, and material systems that examine the relationship between design and the built environment. Collectively, the projects consider how materials can be rethought, adapted, and reintroduced into new architectural contexts while reflecting on the evolving role of designers within processes of construction and resource management.

weathered brick surfaces retain traces of time and use, contrasted by crafted timber elements

marked stones reveal the identity, origin, and history of reclaimed materials

HØINE AS, Norway’s leading supplier of reclaimed brick, has been a key partner in the project

Aluette by Sondre H. Monsen | an aluminum extrusion roofing system creates flowing forms inspired by mountain landscapes

Kathinka Baklid by Ida Marie Tveitan | post-industrial oak offcuts are reassembled into a modular room divider | image by Tor Simen Ulstein

Intro by Erik Røseid | a furniture-like heat pump integrates climate technology through interchangeable fronts and ash veneer

OverGrodd by Gard H. Pettersen | unused Spælsau wool forms an acoustic ceiling element informed by moss and bark textures

Skarv by Embla Augusta Sognli | a woven textile combines wool and selvedge waste as a wall hanging or room divider | image by Tor Simen Ulstein

SOLID by Lykke Eline T. Berg & Josefine Vrålstad | modular urban furniture combines seating and security, using Norwegian natural stone to enhance safety while shaping more inviting public spaces

System Cladding by David Haugen | modular aluminum facade system with interlocking profiles and no visible fasteners

project info:

name: Gjenreis
design team: Ariel Hammer | @by.arielhammer and Åshild Limstrand | @ashild.limstrand

exhibition: Built by Design | @builtbydesignpd

university: OsloMet | @oslometproduktdesign

Built by Design design team: Gard Hønsi Pettersen, Embla Augusta Sognli, Ariel Hammer, Åshild Limstrand, David Haugen, Erik Røseid, Sondre Horgen Monsen, Lykke Eline Trippestad, Josefine Vrålstad, Ida M. Tveitan, Kathinka Baklid, Madeleine K. Wieser

curator: Madeleine K. Wieser

event: 3daysofdesign | @3daysofdesign

dates: June 10th — 12th, 2026

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom