Bricks can be cleaned, timber hardens with age and metal develops a pleasing patina without deteriorating, making them all perfect for reuse. Yet every day more building materials are being manufactured from virgin resources. This inspiring book focuses on contemporary homes made with reused components or materials that might once have been considered waste. Divided into four key categories – brick, timber, metal and a range of materials constituted from waste – every home showcases design ingenuity and award-winning architecture.

Featuring 24 unique houses and apartments, from a barn-inspired house made entirely with reclaimed bricks to a semi-detached Edwardian with recycled benchtops and cabinets made from plastic chopping boards and bottle tops, every project shows what can be achieved with creativity and flair as clever design becomes more closely aligned with ethics and sustainability.