ABSTRACT
This paper studies the demolition and salvage process of construction materials in Brussels in the early 20th century (1900–25), a period that is generally considered a turning point in the reuse practice of construction materials but has not been researched in-depth. The paper is based on an analysis of the photographic collection of the Comité d’Etudes du Vieux Bruxelles, the building specifications of public sales of buildings to be demolished and municipal council reports. This gives insights into the process of demolishing buildings and the profile of the contractors involved, and offers a first glimpse of the selling and reusing of these building materials. With this case of the City of Brussels and through the study of these specific sources we aim to enlarge the knowledge of historic salvage of construction materials.
