re-ply 2.0

Re-ply 1.0 was an architectural response to the pandemic, upcycling humble materials to save them from landfill and help rebuild the city. Following the Black Lives Matter protests, and COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, many NYC businesses barricaded their shopfronts with plywood. This material was destined for landfill once it had served its temporary purpose. With a mission to find the material a second life, BVN created re-ply as a cost effective and recycled ‘kit-of-parts’ for pop-up restaurants, events, and co-working spaces.

What began as a momentary response to a city in crisis has become an ongoing initiative.

Re-ply 2.0, currently being rolled out in New York City since the beginning of summer 2024, is a complete system designed from the ground up with circularity in mind. The kit-of-parts are made from recycled materials, are designed for disassembly and recycling at end of life, and we take responsibility for the whole process using a product-as-a-service business model.

A fully serviced rental model for outdoor dining structures, re-ply provides on-site assembly, maintenance of the structure throughout the outdoor dining season, and disassembly and winter storage. This model minimizes the potential waste in seasonal teardowns of outdoor dining structures while ensuring that restaurants have reliable, clean, and beautifully designed outdoor seating year after year. Re-ply’s new approach to outdoor dining deploys modular, customizable structures that feature lifting sidewalk-level platforms, recycled and recyclable materials, and a simple design that is customizable to suit individual restaurants’ aesthetics.

Re-ply’s core strength is our commitment to circularity, and our ability to bring people together. We are proud of the transformative impact our projects have had within the dynamic environment of New York streetscape, crafting vibrant spaces that not only create great experiences for people, but also champion and demonstrate sustainability. Through our 35+ micro-projects to date, we refine new ways to integrate waste materials, and with each iteration we improve our understanding of circular design.