Today architectural design is faced with the complex relationship between time and sustainability. In this perspective, the article reports the results of an articulated research activity, which highlights how the need for a temporary location or use of spaces can be achieved with an appropriate level of environmental sustainability, and only through long-term use of resources during the entire life cycle. The concept of “long-lasting temporariness” is outlined, based on the extension of the life of artefacts and on the reuse/recycling of resources at the end of their life, when the reversibility of construction systems, the circularity of materials, and the life cycle management of material and energy flows assume a paradigmatic role.