Deconstruction

Giving historic building materials new life.

Perhaps, Picasso had it wrong. For us, every act of creation begins not with an act of destruction, but with an act of deconstruction. The words sound alike, but the difference in meaning is tremendous.

While destruction is simply demolition, deconstruction is sometimes referred to as “construction in reverse.” Why? Unlike demolition, deconstruction requires the selective dismantling of a structure, component by component, with the goal of re-purposing the building materials for use in a new construction project. It’s a painstakingly slow and labor-intensive process, but the outcome – clearly evident in our portfolio of homes – is well worth the effort.

While this building method certainly lends an otherwise unachievable authenticity to the “new” Lakeland historic homes, there are other benefits as well. This process not only facilitates preservation in terms of design and architecture, but also in terms of environmental sustainability. The salvaged materials garnered from deconstruction are valuable, precious materials from times past, many originating from local resources and crafted through workmanship that is now long forgotten.

A side benefit is this; every year, 33 million tons of wood waste are buried in landfills. The decomposition of this waste results in millions of tons of harmful methane gas being released into the environment. Through deconstruction, the Prestige Worldwide Group is also hoping to keep this dangerous pollutant out of the air we breathe.