Article Release:
Another House Deconstructed, Thresholds 53, MIT Press. 2025
ANOTHER HOUSE DECONSTRUCTED:
A CIRCULARITY TRIPTYCH
by Anjiang Xu, Tian Xu, Matthew Kling
When the house in Greenwich, CT finished deconstruction, the founders of New England ReUse—Chris and Carla Kling were still with us.
Completed in 1947, the post-war prefabricated house ended the 72 years of its first life and began another: once treasured by the first owners’ family, the house went through deconstruction instead of demolition. The team meticulously disassembled the house. Beautiful Douglas fir rafters were preserved, destined to become cherished cabinet surfaces in a new artist’s residency at the same site. Salvaged stone pavers were carefully reinstalled, welcoming their guests into a new era.
“Keeping it out of the landfill is the mantra. Do whatever you can, please,” pleaded the new owner. New England ReUse managed, until, like many other reuse centers, it could no longer sustain itself.