Overview
Terrazzo is a polished mineral flooring material composed of a binder and mineral aggregates, which largely determine its visual appearance. As one of the oldest composite materials in architectural history, terrazzo evolved from traditional lime-based terrazzo to the more economical and efficient cement-based terrazzo from the 1920s onwards. Today, cement- and resin-bound terrazzo systems dominate the market (Material-Archiv, n.d.). Against the backdrop of the societal and political shift towards a circular economy, circular recycled terrazzo is emerging as a promising alternative and offers new opportunities for the flooring industry.
The proposed project builds on this development and aims to explore the potential for a circular Swiss recycled terrazzo suitable for renovation and refurbishment projects. The Innosuisse Innovation Cheque will support initial investigations in the following areas:
Local secondary materials: Swiss secondary resources, such as tile and natural stone waste, demolition and construction waste, roof tiles, and recycled glass, will be assessed regarding their suitability and design potential as aggregates for a recycled terrazzo with a distinctive aesthetic identity.
- Design for disassembly and circularity: Material composition, floor build-up, and installation principles will be investigated in terms of disassembly, recoverability, and reuse, with the aim of identifying key innovation areas for circular flooring systems.
Comparison of cast-in-place and tile-based systems: As floor build-up heights are often restricted in renovation and refurbishment projects, the opportunities and limitations of cast-in-place terrazzo and prefabricated terrazzo tiles will be compared and evaluated regarding their suitability for circular applications.
