Author: 9ve8c

Open source recipes and tools that enable local communities to transform paper waste into durable materials, shifting recycling from distant industrial systems to accessible, neighbourhood-based production.

Define the problem/need you are solving or addressing with your project. How does it address the Open Call criteria, such as environmental impact, social engagement, circularity, user experience, resource efficiency, and community-driven solutions?

Paper is widely considered recyclable, yet in practice it depends on centralised systems that collect, transport and process waste across long distances. This creates a paradox: a process meant to reduce impact relies on energy-intensive infrastructures that remain invisible to most people. As the use of paper packaging increases, so does the volume of waste, reinforcing dependence on industrial recycling.

Post Paper Studio addresses this by reframing waste as a local resource. It proposes that paper can be transformed where it is discarded, reducing transport, extending material lifecycles and making the process visible and shared. The project combines circularity and resource efficiency with social engagement, offering accessible methods that enable communities, makers and small businesses to take part in material production, while challenging the assumption that recycling must happen at scale and out of sight.

Please describe your project, reflecting on the concept, inspiration, materials, technical aspects, methods and process(es).

Post Paper Studio is an open system that enables the local transformation of paper waste into usable material for design and construction. It consists of a series of recipes, tools and experiments that combine traditional paper-making techniques with digital fabrication and craft practices. Paper waste is shredded, mixed with water and natural binding agents such as starches or alginate, and processed into a mouldable pulp. This pulp is then pressed using modular, low-tech tools to create sheets, bricks or components that can be further worked using CNC milling, laser cutting or manual techniques. The tools are designed for accessibility and replication: they can be fabricated from a single board of wood or recycled plastic, without glue or screws, and assembled in local workshops. By sharing recipes, blueprints and processes openly, the project invites others to adapt, improve and apply the system according to their local context, resources and needs.

What do you think makes your project innovative compared to the existing efforts and ideas in the field it addresses?

Current approaches to paper recycling operate at two extremes: large-scale industrial systems or small DIY practices with limited performance. Post Paper Studio introduces an intermediate model that combines the reliability of structured processes with the accessibility of local production. Its innovation lies in treating recycling not as a service, but as a distributed design and manufacturing system. By integrating material recipes, tool design and fabrication methods into a single open framework, it enables consistent and repeatable results without requiring specialised infrastructure. The use of natural binders ensures compatibility with existing recycling cycles, while the modular tools allow adaptation to different contexts using locally available materials and skills. This makes the system both technically viable and geographically flexible. Equally important is its open source nature. By making all components accessible, the project shifts innovation from closed development to collective evolution, allowing communities to contribute and refine the system over time.

Does it impact or reflect young people need(s) and how?

Post Paper Studio directly responds to the growing need among younger generations for more transparent, hands-on and meaningful ways of engaging with materials and production. Many young designers, makers and students are increasingly critical of global supply chains, yet lack accessible tools to act on this awareness. By lowering the technical and economic barriers to material experimentation, the project enables young people to move from passive consumption to active participation. Recipes can be reproduced with simple tools and locally available ingredients, while fabrication methods connect with widely accessible technologies such as makerspaces and digital workshops. It encourages experimentation, iteration and collaboration, offering an entry point into material research without requiring specialised laboratories. Beyond skills, it addresses a cultural shift: from designing products to designing systems. By engaging with local waste, young people can better understand resource flows, question existing infrastructures and explore alternative ways of producing and living.

A participatory landscape game that reimagines the Thames as an active negotiator, where human decisions are continuously tested by natural forces, revealing how urban futures emerge through conflict, cooperation, and long-term environmental feedback.

Define the problem/need you are solving or addressing with your project. How does it address the Open Call criteria, such as environmental impact, social engagement, circularity, user experience, resource efficiency, and community-driven solutions?

Contemporary urban infrastructure prioritises control, efficiency, and permanence, often excluding public participation and suppressing ecological dynamics. The Thames Tideway “Super Sewer” exemplifies this—costly, disruptive, and socially detached. This project addresses the need for a more adaptive and inclusive approach to city-making by reframing infrastructure as a process of negotiation between human and environmental forces. Environmentally, it embraces river dynamics—erosion, flooding, and change—as active design agents. Socially, it transforms planning into a participatory system, enabling stakeholders to co-create outcomes. Circularity is embedded through reclaimed Thames materials, linking past and future landscapes. Resource efficiency is achieved through modular, reversible interventions rather than fixed construction.

By combining environmental feedback with collective decision-making, the project proposes a community-driven framework where urban form evolves through continuous negotiation rather than top-down control.

Please describe your project, reflecting on the concept, inspiration, materials, technical aspects, methods and process(es).

The project reimagines the abandoned Super Sewer site as a liminal negotiation platform, materialised as a physical, playable landscape along the Thames foreshore. Structured as a board game, participants assume roles—Authority, Public, or Culture—and collaboratively construct proposals using modular blocks representing infrastructure, ecology, and urban space. Decisions are collectively evaluated, and only approved proposals translate from model scale to real-world intervention. The River Thames acts as a fourth player—Nature—continuously eroding and reshaping the site, introducing unpredictability and long-term feedback. Operating across multiple scales—from a 20-minute game to decades of river transformation—the project integrates participation, material experimentation, and environmental processes. Built using reclaimed materials from the foreshore, it physically embeds local history into the design while revealing how short-term decisions generate long-term spatial consequences.

What do you think makes your project innovative compared to the existing efforts and ideas in the field it addresses?

The project is innovative in redefining landscape architecture as a dynamic system rather than a fixed solution. Instead of designing a final form, it constructs a framework where outcomes emerge through interaction between stakeholders and environmental forces. Unlike conventional participatory design, which often ends at consultation, this project embeds participation directly into spatial production through a playable system. The integration of real-time decision-making, physical modelling, and long-term environmental feedback creates a continuous loop between proposal, implementation, and transformation. By positioning the river as an active agent—rather than a constraint—the project challenges anthropocentric planning models and introduces uncertainty as a design driver. This shift from control to negotiation offers a new methodology for addressing complex urban and ecological systems, where adaptability, temporality, and collective authorship replace static, top-down solutions.

Does it impact or reflect young people need(s) and how?

The project directly engages young people by transforming complex urban and environmental systems into an accessible, interactive experience. Through the game-based format, participants can actively test decisions, negotiate with others, and observe long-term consequences, making abstract planning processes tangible and understandable. It addresses a key generational issue: young people will inherit the impacts of climate change and urban development but are rarely involved in shaping them. By enabling participation in decision-making, the project fosters agency, critical thinking, and environmental awareness. The emphasis on uncertainty, negotiation, and long-term feedback reflects the realities young generations face, encouraging a shift from passive observation to active engagement. Ultimately, the project empowers young people to see themselves not as future users of the city, but as current contributors to its ongoing formation.

Modular mechanical object lift for elderly users, promoting active ageing through everyday movement. Designed for stairwells without elevators, it combines accessibility, simplicity, and social connection in a compact, inclusive system.

Define the problem/need you are solving or addressing with your project. How does it address the Open Call criteria, such as environmental impact, social engagement, circularity, user experience, resource efficiency, and community-driven solutions?

Commercial printers burden students with high ink costs, e-waste from unrepairable “black boxes,” and dependency on proprietary parts, creating financial stress and environmental waste in shared student spaces. Bojan addresses this by being a fully open-source DIY inkjet printer: students assemble it from affordable, off-the-shelf components like NEMA17 motors, ESP32, and 3D-printable parts, understanding every mechanism, from printhead movement to paper feed. Environmental impact through repairability (no proprietary cartridges, refillable HP302) and reduced e-waste; circularity via modular, upgradable design; social engagement and community-driven solutions by inviting hacks and workshops; user experience with customizable print widths and intuitive touchscreen control; resource efficiency using standard parts (~€150 total) for low ongoing costs. Bojan empowers student makers to experiment, collaborate, and sustain their own printing ecosystem.

By combining environmental feedback with collective decision-making, the project proposes a community-driven framework where urban form evolves through continuous negotiation rather than top-down control.

Please describe your project, reflecting on the concept, inspiration, materials, technical aspects, methods and process(es).

PUNT is a modular, mechanical object lift designed for buildings without elevators. It emerges from observing informal, improvised systems—such as ropes and buckets—used to move goods between floors, translating them into a safe, functional, and dignified product.
The project combines a scaffold-like structure with simple mechanical principles, making it intuitive and accessible for elderly users. Built from standard, affordable materials, it is lightweight, easy to assemble, and adaptable to different stairwells.
Its manual activation, inspired by calisthenics movements, transforms a daily task into light physical activity. The design process focused on simplicity, usability, and real contexts, integrating technical feasibility with social and spatial awareness.

What do you think makes your project innovative compared to the existing efforts and ideas in the field it addresses?

PUNT rethinks accessibility by avoiding complex, expensive, and fully automated solutions such as elevators or stair lifts. Instead, it proposes a low-tech, mechanical alternative that complements rather than replaces human movement.
Its innovation lies in combining accessibility with active ageing: users remain physically engaged while reducing effort and risk. The system is modular, non-invasive, and adaptable to existing buildings, overcoming spatial, economic, and regulatory limitations typical of elevator installations.
Additionally, PUNT reframes assistive design through a non-medicalized, playful aesthetic, reducing stigma and encouraging acceptance. By transforming an individual need into a shared infrastructure, it also introduces a community-based approach rarely present in comparable solutions.

Does it impact or reflect young people need(s) and how?

While primarily designed for elderly users, PUNT also reflects broader needs relevant to younger generations, particularly around accessibility, affordability, and collective living.
In cities where housing conditions are increasingly constrained, it offers an adaptable, low-cost solution that can benefit diverse users, from families to people with temporary mobility limitations. Its modular and repairable nature aligns with younger generations’ growing interest in sustainable, circular design.
Moreover, PUNT encourages community interaction by creating shared moments of cooperation within residential spaces. It reframes infrastructure as something participatory rather than invisible, promoting values of mutual care, social connection, and collective responsibility—key concerns for younger people today.

Dementia-aware communication toolkit that equips helpline volunteers to confidently support callers experiencing confusion or memory difficulties through calm, ethical, and non-diagnostic conversations.

Define the problem/need you are solving or addressing with your project. How does it address the Open Call criteria, such as environmental impact, social engagement, circularity, user experience, resource efficiency, and community-driven solutions?

Older adults are increasingly contacting helplines experiencing confusion, memory lapses, and early cognitive changes. While volunteers are well trained in crisis support, there is limited guidance on how to respond to cognitive confusion in a way that is calm, ethical, and non-diagnostic. This gap can increase anxiety for callers and uncertainty for volunteers, affecting emotional safety and service quality. Recognise & Respond addresses this need through a dementia-aware communication toolkit co-developed with volunteers and healthcare professionals. It strengthens user experience by reducing distress and improving volunteer confidence during live calls. The project aligns with social engagement and community-driven solutions by supporting existing volunteer networks rather than replacing them. It is resource-efficient, requiring no new infrastructure or technology, and can be embedded within current training systems. By investing in people’s time and communication skills, the project enhances sustainable, human-centred support services without additional material or environmental impact.

Please describe your project, reflecting on the concept, inspiration, materials, technical aspects, methods and process(es).

Recognise & Respond is a dementia-aware communication toolkit designed to support helpline volunteers when speaking to callers experiencing confusion or memory difficulties. The concept was inspired by my experience as a Samaritans volunteer, where I noticed increasing calls involving repetition, disorientation, and anxiety linked to early cognitive changes. While crisis training is robust, there was little structured guidance for these moments. The project was developed through primary research including care home visits, community engagement, live call observations, and collaboration with senior volunteers and healthcare professionals who work daily with cognitive impairment. Secondary research into dementia communication and social innovation informed the framework. The toolkit consists of a structured call sheet, booklet, and digital module. It uses simple language, clear hierarchy, and low cognitive load design principles to ensure usability under pressure. Iterative prototyping and real-time testing during live calls shaped the final outcome.

What do you think makes your project innovative compared to the existing efforts and ideas in the field it addresses?

What makes Recognise & Respond innovative is its translation of dementia communication principles into a non-clinical, non-directive helpline context. While dementia guidance exists within healthcare and social care settings, there are currently no tools specifically designed for emotional support helplines, where volunteers must avoid diagnosing, advising, or correcting callers. The project bridges that gap by adapting professional communication techniques into a simple, real-time framework that aligns with Samaritans’ listening model. Rather than introducing new systems or technology, it innovates through integration — embedding structured, dementia-aware guidance within existing volunteer training. Its strength lies in co-design: developed alongside volunteers and informed by healthcare professionals, then tested during live calls. The innovation is therefore practical, ethical, and context-specific. By focusing on human interaction rather than technological intervention, the project offers a scalable, low-cost solution that strengthens emotional safety and volunteer confidence in everyday support settings.

Does it impact or reflect young people need(s) and how?

Although Recognise & Respond primarily addresses older callers experiencing cognitive confusion, it also reflects young people’s needs in several ways. Many young volunteers support helplines, and providing clear, structured guidance increases their confidence when handling complex or unfamiliar calls. This reduces anxiety, supports skill development, and strengthens volunteer retention among younger generations. In addition, young people are often informal carrers for grandparents or older relatives experiencing early cognitive changes. The communication principles within the toolkit — slowing down, validating feelings, and avoiding correction — can be applied beyond helplines, supporting intergenerational understanding and empathy. The project also promotes youth engagement in community-driven solutions by empowering young volunteers to contribute meaningfully within social support systems. By equipping them with practical, ethically grounded tools, the project enhances both their user experience as volunteers and their capacity to support vulnerable members of the community.

Give people the power to fix their jeans faster by using embroidery technology instead of buying a new pair.

Define the problem/need you are solving or addressing with your project. How does it address the Open Call criteria, such as environmental impact, social engagement, circularity, user experience, resource efficiency, and community-driven solutions?

Fast fashion has normalised immediate consumption while making clothing repair increasingly obsolete. Well-fitting but damaged jeans are often stored instead of repaired, due to a lack of repair knowledge, especially among younger generations, and limited access to tailors with unclear costs and long waiting times. This leads to unnecessary resource use, textile waste, and the gradual loss of repair craftsmanship.
SEDER addresses this gap by making repair accessible, understandable, and immediate. It supports circular practices by extending garment lifespans and reducing demand for new production. The system lowers barriers to participation through a guided, intuitive user experience and enables self-repair without prior skills. By decentralising repair into a self-service solution, it encourages community-based engagement with maintenance and care. This contributes to environmental responsibility, resource efficiency, and a cultural shift towards more sustainable and conscious consumption habits.

Please describe your project, reflecting on the concept, inspiration, materials, technical aspects, methods and process(es).

The Self-Service Denim Repair Station is a user-centred system that enables people to repair their jeans independently using embroidery technology. The concept is inspired by my own experience of repeatedly repairing my favourite jeans, and by observing how others store damaged garments with the intention to fix them later. However, many are hindered by the required craftsmanship, lack of knowledge, and limited access to tools.
As a trained seamstress, I believe repair can be made more accessible. SEDER is a physical terminal that guides users step by step through a simplified darning process. A built-in camera detects fabric damage and translates it into an embroidery pattern that reinforces the textile. The repair is executed automatically without prior sewing knowledge.
The system combines digital interface design, image recognition, and automated embroidery, transforming repair into an intuitive, time-efficient experience while reconnecting users with contemporary repair practices.

What do you think makes your project innovative compared to the existing efforts and ideas in the field it addresses?

SEDER introduces a new approach by combining self-service principles with textile repair, shifting the process from expert-based craftsmanship to accessible user interaction. Unlike traditional tailoring or DIY repair kits, it removes the need for prior knowledge while maintaining a high-quality outcome through automated embroidery.
The innovation lies not in a completely new technology, but in the meaningful integration of existing ones—camera-based damage detection, guided interfaces, and embroidery systems—into a coherent, user-friendly repair experience. This reinterpretation challenges the current repair paradigm, which is either inaccessible (tailors) or skill-dependent (DIY).
By making repair immediate, transparent, and approachable, SEDER repositions it as a viable alternative to consumption. It also contributes to preserving repair culture by translating craftsmanship into a contemporary, technology-mediated practice, rather than replacing it entirely.

Does it impact or reflect young people need(s) and how?

SEDER directly responds to the needs and behaviours of younger generations, who are strongly influenced by fast fashion systems but often lack the knowledge and access required to engage in repair practices.
Younger users are accustomed to intuitive, guided digital interfaces and expect fast, accessible solutions. SEDER adopts these interaction patterns, making repair feel familiar and achievable rather than complex or time-consuming. This lowers the threshold for engagement and encourages active participation in garment care.
At the same time, the project addresses a growing awareness among young people regarding sustainability and responsible consumption. By offering a practical, immediate alternative to buying new clothing, SEDER supports the translation of values into action.
It empowers users to take responsibility for their belongings, fosters skill-building through experience, and reconnects a generation with practices of care, longevity, and resource-conscious living.

Through material research and material-driven design using DIY biomaterial recipe from avocado seeds, this project creates participatory spaces where design becomes a collective act, rethinking material value, ecological responsibility, and shared futures.

Define the problem/need you are solving or addressing with your project. How does it address the Open Call criteria, such as environmental impact, social engagement, circularity, user experience, resource efficiency, and community-driven solutions?

This project addresses the disconnection between people materials and the environmental impact of everyday consumption especially the invisibility of food waste once it is discarded. Current systems frame waste as an endpoint reinforcing linear production models and passive consumption. By using avocado seeds to develop DIY biomaterial recipes through material driven design the project repositions waste as a starting point for learning making and collaboration. It creates participatory workshops and installations where users actively engage in transforming organic waste into tangible materials fostering awareness of resource cycles and ecological impact.

Please describe your project, reflecting on the concept, inspiration, materials, technical aspects, methods and process(es).

This project explores food waste as a starting point for material research and collective experimentation. Inspired by everyday practices of cooking and making, it focuses on the often overlooked avocado seed, transforming it into DIY biomaterials through accessible recipes. The concept is rooted in material driven design, where the behavior and qualities of the material guide the process. Technically, the project combines biofabrication methods using starch based binder and processed avocado seed powder. After forming and drying, the materials are further developed through laser engraving, integrating digital design tools with handcrafted processes. This combination highlights the value of craft while expanding its possibilities through precision and reproducibility. The process unfolds through participatory workshops and installations, where recipes are openly shared to support collective learning, positioning design as an evolving practice that connects material knowledge, digital tools, and community engagement.

What do you think makes your project innovative compared to the existing efforts and ideas in the field it addresses?

What makes this project innovative is its alignment with design as a tool for cultural shift, education, and collective agency rather than solely sustainable production. Responding to the call for more just, resilient, and humane futures, it reframes food waste through participatory, material driven processes that engage people directly in cycles of transformation. Instead of proposing a finalized product, the project creates spaces, workshops, and open recipes that function as platforms for collective action and learning. It connects food systems, waste reduction, and local material knowledge with hands on experimentation, supporting awareness and behavioral change in everyday practices. By combining craft based biofabrication with digital tools such as laser engraving, it highlights human centred making while encouraging accessible, shared knowledge. In this way, the project contributes to regenerative thinking, community engagement, and education, fostering more responsible relationships between people, materials, and ecological systems.

Does it impact or reflect young people need(s) and how?

This project responds to young people’s growing need for agency, participation, and meaningful engagement with ecological issues. Many young people are aware of environmental crises but lack accessible ways to act beyond consumption choices. This work creates hands on opportunities to experiment, learn, and co create, transforming passive awareness into active involvement. Through workshops and open recipes, it supports skill building, creative expression, and collective learning, aligning with DIY and maker cultures that resonate strongly with younger generations. It also reflects a desire for community, shared experiences, and alternative ways of living that move beyond individualism. By connecting food waste, material experimentation, and collaborative processes, the project empowers young people to rethink everyday practices and see themselves as contributors to change. It aims to open space for critical thinking, and a sense of belonging within more sustainable and regenerative futures.

The Circular module conceptualizes possibilities for a fully recyclable Solar Module, through layering and compression. Using rope as a flexible mounting option. The Module reaches for attention to communicate positive futures in diverse spaces.

Define the problem/need you are solving or addressing with your project. How does it address the Open Call criteria, such as environmental impact, social engagement, circularity, user experience, resource efficiency, and community-driven solutions?

Contemporary research and industrial development in photovoltaics largely prioritize efficiency and performance optimization; the question of sustainable resource use has not yet been sufficiently addressed. In conventional solar modules, materials like glass, different plastics, copper, and silver are merged together. You can only recycle the modules by mechanically scraping off layer by layer. The sad part is that it is so cost-intensive that most solar waste does not even get the possibility to be recycled.
Another problem during conventional manufacturing is that silicon wafers are coated and metallized, resulting in a material fusion that prevents full recovery to solar-grade silicon quality after use. Yet we depend on the use of solar energy and need to make it more sustainable and visible to encourage the shift toward renewable energies. The Circle Module addresses this exact issue in current photovoltaic recycling practices.

Please describe your project, reflecting on the concept, inspiration, materials, technical aspects, methods and process(es).

Solar Circle explores an alternative approach to photovoltaic design by placing circularity and material responsibility at the center of solar energy production. The layers of the module are not conventionally bonded but mechanically pressed together to form a watertight seal. A circular, injection-moldable mounting structure made from recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) holds the layers together without adhesives.
This design enables material-pure separation and allows individual components to be replaced in case of damage. The concept is supported by theoretical and technical validation from experts at Fraunhofer ISE. A simple suspension system using climbing rope allows the module to be installed in diverse environments, from balcony drainage pipes to streetlights or framework structures.
Modules can be detached, repaired, or replaced individually. The climbing ropes themselves may also enter a second life cycle, reinforcing the project’s commitment to reuse across all components.

What do you think makes your project innovative compared to the existing efforts and ideas in the field it addresses?

Solar Circle proposes a shift in perspective, framing the solar module not as a sealed, disposable product but as a system designed for circularity, disassembly, and material recovery. Material choice plays a central role in the project. Recycled HDPE was selected for its high UV stability, water resistance, and compatibility with industrial injection molding.
Although widely used in food packaging and piping systems, HDPE often loses its food-grade certification after its first life cycle. Solar Circle repositions this material within a new context, proposing photovoltaic production as an alternative and meaningful secondary material stream. The module itself would intervene in industrial silicon production prior to squaring, coating, and metallization in the production chain through the use of untreated, round-shaped M12 silicon wafers. This approach could have the potential to eliminate several energy-intensive processing steps and enables complete material separation at the end of the product’s life cycle.

Does it impact or reflect young people need(s) and how?

The project was developed according to the 800W regulation in Germany, which defines the use of balcony power plants. The underlying idea is that the more people are confronted with solar energy in their daily lives, the greater their understanding and acceptance, ultimately supporting a more sustainable future.
This approach could be especially interesting for young people, allowing them to engage with sustainable energy sourcing early on.
Most current solar panels do not easily fit into urban spaces, creating a need for designs that are visually appealing while also communicating new possibilities. The unconventional attachment of the modules opens up new opportunities and locations to showcase urban energy transformation.
The main focus of the project lies in material recovery and recycling. What if a solar panel could become a solar panel again? Applying a full cradle-to-cradle principle could be possible, and it is certainly worth exploring.

Transforming wheelchairs into conductive musical instruments, this project enables children with disabilities to turn physical touch into creative expression and social connection, redefining mobility aids as empowering tools for artistic identity.

Define the problem/need you are solving or addressing with your project. How does it address the Open Call criteria, such as environmental impact, social engagement, circularity, user experience, resource efficiency, and community-driven solutions?

The project addresses the physical and social isolation of wheelchair users by transforming their mobility aids from symbols of limitation into instruments of creative expression. Many children with severe disabilities lack accessible tools for spontaneous interaction and artistic agency, leading to a sense of “otherness.”

Social Engagement & Community: By converting the conductive metal frame into a multi-channel interface, I enable collaborative music-making, turning a solitary device into a shared social catalyst for institutions like the Csillagház School. User Experience & Empowerment: The “plug-and-play” tactile system replaces technical barriers with intuitive physical gestures, fostering a positive connection between the body and the machine. Resource Efficiency & Circularity: This solution utilizes the existing material properties of the wheelchair (conductivity) rather than requiring complex new hardware, promoting a low-footprint, additive approach to assistive technology. It redefines resource efficiency by giving “cold” medical equipment a secondary, high-value function as an empowering interface.

Please describe your project, reflecting on the concept, inspiration, materials, technical aspects, methods and process(es).

Inspired by my personal journey with hearing impairment and my work with children at an elementary school, this project transforms wheelchairs into conductive musical interfaces. The concept redefines mobility aids, evolving them from medical constraints into empowering tools for artistic agency. Technically, the system leverages the wheelchair’s metal frame and wheel spokes as capacitive sensors. By converting physical touch into electrical signals, the interface triggers 4-6 layers of complex musical textures.
Methods center on iterative co-design with students to ensure tactile accessibility and facilitate collaborative interaction. By treating the chair as an extension of the body, the project fosters a positive Human-Machine identity, turning physical contact into a creative gesture and bridging the gap between physical limitation and expressive freedom.

What do you think makes your project innovative compared to the existing efforts and ideas in the field it addresses?

The innovation lies in the seamless integration of assistive technology and creative agency by utilizing the wheelchair’s own material properties. Unlike traditional MIDI controllers that require external pads or buttons, this project leverages the inherent conductivity of the metal frame and spokes as the interface itself. It transforms a “cold” medical device into a tactile, resonant extension of the body. It shifts the focus from individual rehabilitation to collective social orchestration. By enabling multi-user interaction, it breaks the isolation often found in institutional settings, turning the wheelchair into a catalyst for spontaneous human connection. Finally, it addresses the psychological stigma of disability. By repurposing a symbol of limitation into a high-value artistic tool, it fosters a positive Human-Machine identity. This “plug-and-play” solution democratizes digital expression, making complex musical creation accessible through intuitive physical gestures rather than technical expertise.

Does it impact or reflect young people need(s) and how?

This project directly impacts young people with severe disabilities by addressing the profound need for agency, social belonging, and a positive self-image. For youth in institutional settings like the Csillagház School (I collaborate with them), physical barriers often lead to social isolation and a sense that their equipment—the wheelchair—is a clinical necessity rather than an extension of their identity. By transforming the wheelchair into a musical instrument, the project turns a “medical object” into a “creative subject.” This shifts the narrative from what a young person cannot do to what they can create. The multi-user interface specifically targets the need for peer-to-peer connection, allowing spontaneous, collaborative play that bypasses the need for verbal or complex motor skills. Ultimately, it reflects the universal youth need for self-expression and autonomy, providing a “plug-and-play” pathway to digital literacy and artistic participation that feels intuitive, empowering, and, most importantly, fun.

Square Greens is a compact microgreen-growing ecosystem that delivers fresh harvests in just four days. Our mission is to reduce waste and reconnect people with fresh, nutrient-rich food through a simple circular experience.

Define the problem/need you are solving or addressing with your project. How does it address the Open Call criteria, such as environmental impact, social engagement, circularity, user experience, resource efficiency, and community-driven solutions?

Modern food systems are deeply disconnected from everyday life, generating enormous waste, long supply chains, and poor nutritional access. Square Greens addresses this by bringing food cultivation directly into homes, restaurants, and schools through a compact, intuitive microgreen-growing ecosystem.
Environmentally, it shortens supply chains, eliminates packaging waste through returnable bio-pods, and uses low-energy LEDs. Its corrugated metal structure is durable, prefabricated, and designed for longevity. Circularity is built into the model: pods are distributed and returned through an integrated delivery service. Resource efficiency is achieved through capillary water distribution requiring no mechanical components.
Socially, it reconnects users with food production as a daily, tangible habit — fostering awareness and healthier behaviours across diverse contexts. The modular, intuitive design lowers barriers for non-expert users, making sustainable eating an accessible, educational, and community-driven experience rather than an abstract environmental concern.

Please describe your project, reflecting on the concept, inspiration, materials, technical aspects, methods and process(es).

Square Greens enables the domestic cultivation of microgreens, —young edible plants known for their high nutritional density and rapid growth. Harvested at an early stage, microgreens concentrate vitamins A, C, E, and K, along with folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc, as well as bioactive compounds associated with dietary balance and wellbeing. Designed for everyday use, Square Greens brings fresh, nutrient-rich food production into ordinary indoor environments.
Conceived as an open-source and adaptable system, Square Greens encourages customization, experimentation, and shared knowledge. By simplifying cultivation and anticipating early growth, the project supports healthier eating habits and fosters a more direct, conscious relationship with food production.

What do you think makes your project innovative compared to the existing efforts and ideas in the field it addresses?

The system’s key innovation lies in activating growth directly within the packaging. Instead of starting from dry seeds, users receive a pod in which the earliest phase of growth has already taken place, allowing cultivation to begin from an advanced stage facilitating the experience. Seeds are embedded in a hygroscopic cotton matrix that retains moisture and allows controlled oxygen exchange, initiating germination before purchase. These conditions remain stable during distribution through local retailers and organic markets. When the pod reaches the user, growth is already underway, enabling immediate continuation and a significantly shorter time to harvest.

Does it impact or reflect young people need(s) and how?

Square Greens is directly shaped around the needs and behaviours of younger generations, who increasingly seek meaningful, hands-on ways to engage with sustainability without added complexity.
By transforming food growing into a simple, visual, and rewarding daily ritual, it builds environmental awareness organically — not through lectures, but through experience. In school environments, Square Greens becomes an educational tool, connecting students to food origins, nutrition, and ecological responsibility in a tangible way. Its playful modularity and fast four-day harvest cycle match the expectation of immediacy typical of younger audiences, sustaining engagement over time.
By embedding fresh food production into everyday routines, it empowers young people to make conscious, informed choices — positioning them as active participants in a more sustainable food future.