Teaching Architectural Design from Stock: A course-based framework for material reuse leveraging digital design and fabrication

The urgency of circular construction requires architectural and engineering education to move beyond abstract sustainability principles toward direct engagement with material reuse and non-standard design conditions. This paper presents a pedagogical framework that integrates computational design, material stock management, and digital fabrication within a graduate-level curriculum. The methodology is structured around four interconnected domain processes: Urban Mining, Design for Circularity, Fabrication, and Assembly. Through these modules, students transformed reclaimed timber, plastics, and industrial waste into data-rich resources via digital inventorying and photogrammetry. Computational workflows - including parametric modelling, structural optimisation, and algorithmic nesting - enabled students to navigate the constraints of fixed material stocks, moving from unconstrained to stock-constrained design. A central component of the course was the iterative production of prototypes. These projects utilised bespoke 3D-printed joints and CNC-machined connections to facilitate Design for Disassembly (DfD). By analysing the course structure and student outcomes, the paper argues that digitally enabled, prototype-driven frameworks are essential for operationalising circular construction practices. This approach equips future practitioners with the technical competencies to manage material uncertainty and bridge the gap between digital optimisation and physical materialisation.