Documentation of the Creative Workshop "Altering Matter: Decompose to Grow"

In September 2024, the Vingis branch of the Vilnius University Botanical Garden hosted a two-week architectural laboratory that brought together participants to explore possibilities for the regeneration of an abandoned greenhouse complex.

This was already the second edition of the creative workshop “Altering Matter: Decompose to Grow,” continuing the exploration of circular design practices in architecture. This time, the focus was placed on the cycle of renewable, organic materials – from sourcing to practical application in buildings undergoing renovation within the territory of the Botanical Garden.

As the workshop curators, Martynas Germanavičius and Eglė Kliučinskaitė, explained:

“Knowing that we would be working across several overlapping themes, we deliberately set ourselves the challenge of limiting the selection of materials during the preparation phase. We aimed to ensure aesthetic coherence in later design interventions and to test the various possibilities of a single material. Based on our research, reeds emerged as a particularly relevant material – although abundant in Lithuania, they are rarely used in contemporary architecture, mainly due to their natural tendency to decay, which is often seen as a durability issue. However, in the workshop, we deliberately sought to value these properties as an advantage, especially when combined with industrial materials that are more durable, reusable, but often rough and cold.”

The creative process took place in the unique natural and historical environment of the Botanical Garden. The theme of organic materials unfolded naturally here – the plant diversity encouraged closer attention to the cycles of decay and renewal occurring in nature.

The workshop began with a theoretical phase, analysing the site context of the Vingis branch, the current situation, and the need for change. Later, focus shifted to the unused greenhouse complex – here, participants examined possible future uses and developed small-scale design installations, inviting new ways of imagining and experiencing the reuse of these spaces.

The theoretical part also introduced Lithuania’s natural resources and organic materials with potential in the construction sector. Insights were shared by urban planner Paulius Kliučininkas, geographer and urbanist Danielius Jurčiukonis, environmental scientist and representative of the Lithuanian Peatland Restoration and Conservation Fund Jūratė Sendžikaitė, and R&D manager at the VAA Design and Innovation Centre Giedrius Pilkis. All the speakers emphasised the untapped potential of reeds as a raw material – from the need to maintain natural reed habitats through wetland farming to their potential use in design and product development.

The theoretical programme concluded with a hands-on session on traditional reed roofing techniques, led by experienced craftsman Gintautas Vilutis. According to him, while reeds are abundant in Lithuania and this roofing method was once commonplace, it is now rarely used locally – he more often works in Belgium and the Netherlands, where this technique remains popular and is even mandatory for certain heritage-listed buildings.

The workshop gathered over 30 participants from different disciplines – mostly students and practising architects. Participants analysed the Botanical Garden territory, identified areas of interest, and in five teams, developed design interventions in various parts of the greenhouse complex and its surroundings.

The practical part of the workshop was led by ŠA atelier – architects Gabrielė Šarkauskienė and Antanas Šarkauskas – together with French architecture collective L’Atelier Senzu, represented by Wandrille Marchais, David Dottelonde, and their colleagues Léa Villain, Lea Frenz, and Pauline Soulenq.

The French collective explores alternatives to polluting materials in their practice, rethinking traditional construction techniques and enabling new processes. In this workshop, L’Atelier Senzu focused specifically on materials and technologies. Building on the cradle-to-cradle concept, they proposed examining not only renewable organic materials but also their combinations with technical materials that can be disassembled and reused after the organic elements decompose. For this reason, each team’s intervention aimed to clearly present the potential of combining organic and technical materials.

Meanwhile, the architects from ŠA atelier emphasised the spatial potential of the Botanical Garden and the reuse of existing resources. They encouraged participants to consider the needs of users and visitors of the space and imagine how the garden could enrich their everyday experiences. The facilitators helped the teams – despite working in separate locations and themes – to identify connections and create a shared spatial narrative.

This workshop became a material study of possibilities – testing the principles of regenerative architecture in a real context and revealing the spatial and educational potential embedded in the greenhouse complex and the wider Botanical Garden environment.

We invite you to explore the creative process, the participants’ installations, and experience the unique atmosphere of the space in Joaquin Mora’s video documentation.