Contemporary Spolia

This book explores the concept of spolia-the reuse of building materials and architectural fragments-as a vital tool for contemporary design. Far from being a nostalgic gesture, spolia reveals profound insights into the forces that shape architectural and urban transformations. Encompassing practices such as expropriation, collage, ad hoc interventions, assemblage, simulacra, recreations, and reappropriations, spolia challenges us to see the city as both archive and laboratory.Documented here is the imaginative work of students from the Brian Canin Urban Design Studio at the University of Miami's School of Architecture. Set in the context of Miami, a city on the front lines of climate change, the studio investigated visionary yet practical design responses to the threat of sea-level rise. The result is a compelling demonstration of how past fragments can become the foundation for future resilience.