What if construction waste could be transformed into something new — not by human hands, but in collaboration with living systems? By mobilising the Sporosarcina pasteurii, Bento Architecture is part of an evolving field of research, exploring how biological processes can transform waste into new materials.

This bacterium has a unique talent: it precipitates calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) through its enzymatic activity, creating an alkaline environment where particles and aggregates bind together. The result is a guided form of biocementation—partly controlled nor entirely left to chance—that invites us to reconsider waste. Could the leftovers of construction sites be transformed into bricks, terrazzo, or entirely new materials, while fostering a more thoughtful relationship with the living world?

This residency doesn’t just focus on materials; it asks deeper questions about our responsibilities to the ecosystems around us. How do we interact with the living (like bacteria), the non-living (like waste), and the in-between? It encourages reflection on decarbonization, the potential of contemporary ruins, and how humans might better coexist with non-human actors.

By viewing construction waste not as debris to discard, but as a resource to reimagine, this residency opens a space for architectural practices that collaborate with the life forms we often overlook. This is a journey into the future of building, where human creativity works in tandem with the quiet genius of microbial life.