Madlen presents a paper entitled '“Reuse is like Free Jazz!” Upcycling Materials as Creative Practice' at the Upcycling Architecture International Conference at the Politecnico di Torino. The contribution analyzes the pleasures and challenges accompanying reuse as practice by engaging with different actors along a circular supply chain. A new generation of architects and other practitioners in Europe works with a pioneering spirit, developing innovative solutions for redesigning our built environment with considerations concerning ecology and care. Taking as its basis the theoretical differentiation between the bricoleur and the engineer, as made by Lévi-Strauss, I discuss how Upcycling and an increased value emerges through practical engagement with existing materials. An architect once described this process as similar to free jazz: there is an excitement in rearranging found pieces and thinking about how to integrate them into a new building project. This aligns with Lévi-Strauss’ emphasis that working with existing materials is creative and generates unexpected results. Like in free jazz, this practice challenges the so far common rules of building construction and leads to processes of reverse design. This contribution engages with different emic perspectives on the human-material relations that unfold in Upcycling as building practice.