On February 9, 2026, SOM’s Jorge Rovira and Benton Johnson joined the Chicago Architecture Biennial for “Replacement and Reuse, Reconsidered,” a public program examining demolition, adaptation, and the evolving value of materials in post-industrial cities. The discussion was framed by the Biennial’s presentation of Re-SPLAM (Reclaimed Spatial Laminated Timber), on view in Millennium Park.

Developed by SOM in collaboration with Washington University in St. Louis, Norcon, and the Missouri Alliance for Construction Recycling, Re-SPLAM proposes an alternative to extractive construction by transforming reclaimed dimensional lumber into a high-performance structural system. Rather than treating demolition as an endpoint, the pavilion positions existing material as an active resource—capable of renewed structural, environmental, and cultural performance. The conversation underscored how buildings and their components can drive urban transformation when understood as long-term assets, particularly as demand for mass timber outpaces the rate of forest regeneration and challenges assumptions about renewability.

The event was moderated by Stewart Hicks and featured journalist and critic Anjulie Rao, who situated demolition within broader material, environmental, and social systems. Rovira and Johnson shared the research and testing behind Re-SPLAM, demonstrating how architecture and engineering—through advanced computation, structural analysis, and digital fabrication—can extend the life of existing materials and chart a viable path toward lower-carbon construction.