Profane Spolia in the Age of Standardization. Redefining Spoliation in the Contemporary Project

Spolia is more than the reuse of classical fragments, their dislocation, appropriation, and reassembly to create new architectural identities. This paper redefines spolia addressing contemporary design challenges, such as sustainability and the need for local, context-specific solutions. It contrasts the unique, layered potential of spolia as an integral design tool, with the uniformity imposed by standardization. By examining projects by Pikionis, EMBT, Sassi, Associates Architecture, and Panayiotou, the study explores how spolia can support non-extractive, expressive, and site-specific architecture. The study argues that spolia offers a way to reintroduce meaning, local identity, and material agency into contemporary practice.