Diseño Circular en Acción: a design–build lab for circular living wall systems

The paper presents Diseño Circular en Acción, a design–build workshop developed at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) to test circular approaches in living wall systems development. Moving from previous theoretical research on the bioclimatic renovation of Building 1C at UPV, the project aims to translate a green façade design hypothesis into a prototype built with local recycled materials. The workshop is conceived as a methodological device that integrates circular design, nature-based solutions and experiential learning, engaging students in the co-design and self-construction of a disassemblable and adaptable full-scale module. A local material bank, built up from selective demolition processes and recent flood-related recovery, provided the basis for rethinking the design process by allowing materials to define the prototype configuration rather than the other way around. The resulting module operates simultaneously as a technical and pedagogical device functioning as a research-in-action model for replicable circular strategies in climate-vulnerable contexts and highlighting the role of universities in advancing local ecological transition through research-informed teaching practices.