Building deconstruction in Portugal: a case study

This paper presents the transfer and adaptation of the former Lisbon EXPO 98 Macao Pavilion from its original location to a town park in Loures as a case study in building deconstruction. An essential aspect for promoting Building Deconstruction is the demonstration of its multiple advantages, mainly to those directly involved in the designing and building processes, proving the compatibility of deconstruction friendly principles with architectural expression, functional efficiency and economical profitability. A description of the disassembly and reassembly operations of the former Macao Pavilion is made, identifying the main difficulties found. An analysis of the overall profitability of the operation is also made, estimating the amount of material diverted from landfill and the amount of embodied energy saved through material reuse. An economical profitability study compares the costs of disassembling and reassembling the pavilion with those of a new building.