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Structure-saving hook-and-loop tech could make it easy to replace walls

By Ben Coxworth
August 25, 2025
Structure-saving hook-and-loop tech could make it easy to replace walls
In this particular prototype version of the system, rows of cast-concrete hooks engage rows of 3D-printed loops that are attached to the edges of replaceable interior wall panels
In this particular prototype version of the system, rows of cast-concrete hooks engage rows of 3D-printed loops that are attached to the edges of replaceable interior wall panels
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In this particular prototype version of the system, rows of cast-concrete hooks engage rows of 3D-printed loops that are attached to the edges of replaceable interior wall panels
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In this particular prototype version of the system, rows of cast-concrete hooks engage rows of 3D-printed loops that are attached to the edges of replaceable interior wall panels

Why tear down an entire building, if only its flimsy interior components need to be replaced? That's the thinking behind a new Velcro-like fastening system which allows interior walls to simply be yanked out by hand and swapped for new ones when necessary.

The technology is being developed by a team at Austria's Graz University of Technology (along with industry partners), as part of the ReCon sustainable construction project.

In a nutshell, the idea is that when a non-load-bearing interior element such as a wall, flooring panel or other item reaches the end of its lifespan, it simply gets pulled out and replaced with a fresh one. The building's main supporting structure, which is still good to go for a while, remains intact and undamaged.

When that main structure is initially being built, rows of small mushroom-head-shaped appendages are cast into the concrete (or milled into the wood, if it's a wood-frame building) at all the points where the interior walls will go. Those "mushroom heads" are the hooks in the Velcro-style hook-and-loop system.

Individual loop appendages – or alternatively, 3D-printed strips of them – are fastened to the top and bottom edges of plaster or wooden wall panels. Those panels are then simply pushed into place between the hooks, which their loops engage. Removing the panels is just a matter of pulling on them by hand at a certain angle.

The scientists are also investigating the use of RFID tags or QR codes on the panels (or other replaceable elements), a scan of which would tell people when that particular item is due for replacement.

"The central principle of ReCon is that buildings can be dismantled using clearly defined, separable interfaces," says the project leader, Dr. Matthias Lang-Raudaschl. "This means that in the event of renovation or new use, only those components that are worn or need to meet new requirements need to be replaced. This considerably extends the overall service life of a building, as a simple replacement of parts is sufficient instead of demolition."

Source: Graz University of Technology

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Good ThinkingTU GrazBuilding and ConstructionVelcroSustainability
5 comments
Ben Coxworth
Ben Coxworth
Based out of Edmonton, Canada, Ben Coxworth has been writing for New Atlas since 2009 and is presently Managing Editor for North America. An experienced freelance writer, he previously obtained an English BA from the University of Saskatchewan, then spent over 20 years working in various markets as a television reporter, producer and news videographer. Ben is particularly interested in scientific innovation, human-powered transportation, and the marine environment.

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5 comments
Techutante
Aside from art projects and demo spaces, this sort of thing seems like it would just encourage cheaper construction.
Tig
Er… Um… So many questions! What about acoustic performance? Wall loading such as shelves? Internal wall construction type, construction technique? Finishing?
A standard stud wall system only needs a few screws to hold it in place, easily disassembled or even sheared off should it need to come out.
Or am I missing something fundamental?
TechGazer
There's the problem of details. Yes the panels are pushed into place, but what about the edges and corners? If they're not sealed properly, bugs will live behind the panels. Also, swapping old panels for new works great for an imaginary bare room, but in real life you might have complications, such as bits&pieces that were added after the walls were popped into place, making the job so much more time-consuming that it's not worth bothering with.
There might be situations where walls get scuffed, soiled, or otherwise damaged frequently, where easy replacement of panels would be cost-effective. I'm not sure that this new technique is superior to screws or other temporary fasteners. I recall an adhesive that releases when given an appropriate electric charge. That might be superior to rubbery pads. Wall panels attached by a few rubbery pads just feels wrong when I try to picture it.
Global
Looks like a product looking for a problem, that gyprock, wallpaper, or a coat of paint could accomplish.
paul314
It's possible (just possible) that something like this might encourage stronger wall systems than the current flimsy sheetrock over something resembling a stud. If you know you can take panels out easily for renovation or reconfiguration, you could make them solid enough to carry loads not just where the studs are. And you could fabricate that plus insulation plus power and network plugs in a factory somewhere and do only final touch-up finishing onsite, instead of effectively having to build a building within a building using heaps of mud and making random cutouts to fit utilities.
(Of course, that just *possible*. Whether it will happen that way or instead we even-less-durable and less-habitable building is something we'll find out.)