Tag: circular design
Biodesign for a Planet-First Future
Valentina Auer
Valentina has navigated through many design disciplines, from interior design and furniture design to communication design. However, the fascination and passion for all three areas are connected by one important factor: the focus on sustainability and conscious design.
This not only concerns material and production but also entire systems and processes—where the topics of feminism and equality also play a significant role. Since 2021, she has been working at the University of Applied Sciences Salzburg, where she aims to instil her passion in young aspiring furniture designers.
In her keynote speech at »Next Gen Design: Women Creating the Future of Design« on 20th September 2024 at designfourm Wien, she discussed her experiences as a young woman in the design and working world in Austria and Europe. Thought-provoking ideas, observations, and insights on teaching in the design field, along with visions for a female-led design world, were significant topics.
MOMENTS Sidetable
MOMENTS Sidetable by studio re.d is dedicated to the recycling of leftover panels, such as cutouts from stoves and sinks, that are left over from the production of ceramic kitchen worktops. The design emphasizes the value of the remaining panels as a central element of the side table
In order to save work steps, the processing of the remaining panels is implemented into existing production processes. The ceramic plates are connected to sheet steel elements using screws, which means that the furniture can be easily dismantled at the end of its usage cycle and returned to the circular economy.
AWARDS:
BIG SEE Product Design Award 2024
Nominated for the Green Product Design Award 2024
Reef Rocket
ReefCycle has developed biologically-grown cement-like material that mimics the chemical structure of reefs, re-growing vital material in days that take millennia to form in nature. The production process combines plant-based enzymes with crushed waste, like culinary shells and glass, to grow a mineral glue that binds waste material together.
Reef Rocket is a bio-cement structure that mimics the naturally occurring oyster reefs that protect shorelines from flooding, filter seawater and promote biodiversity. Nature has the unique capacity to grow durable material without polluting its surrounding environment. Reefs grow to withstand extreme wave energy and corrosive water for hundreds of years.
Harnessing nature to repurpose discard into durable “cements” locally without burning fossil fuels, this process fosters a bio-circular and localised economy. Reef Rocket by ReefCycle provides a cheaper, cleaner and more durable alternative to industrial cement.
Bobby Kolade
Kolade’s brand first collection is titled Return to Sender, and is made entirely out of waste textiles sourced from second-hand markets across Uganda. Each piece is redesigned and redistributed to the Global North, where the raw materials were originally bought and discarded.
Bobby Kolade is a fashion designer from Uganda who started his career in Berlin and Paris, cutting his teeth at major companies like Maison Margiela and Balenciaga. In 2018, he returned to his hometown of Kampala and was struck by the severe decline of the country’s textile industry. Today, he is the creative powerhouse behind BUZIGAHILL, an independent label that brings attention to this issue through art, clothing and activism.
As co-host of the podcast Vintage or Violence, Kolade further examines the true cost of the global fashion industry and the impact that waste colonialism has on local communities and ecosystems.
Matej Fegus
Fergus’s approach emphasizes that design should go beyond aesthetics, creating meaningful value for society, employees, and the environment through innovative business models, new materials, and advanced technologies.
Matej Fegus is a Slovenian entrepreneur, innovator, and advocate of sustainable design and circular economy. As the director of Donar d.o.o., he has transformed the company into a globally recognized leader in sustainable manufacturing.
Fegus received numerous awards, including CEED Global Entrepreneur of the Year 2014, Red Dot Award 2016, and Green Product Award 2018. His work with the Nico Less chair by Primoz Jeza earned the title Design of the Year 2017. In addition to Donar, he co-founded and co-owns several businesses focused on planning, communication, and sales. He was a co-organizer of the 1st conference on Sustainable Design for Transition to Circular Economy.
Walking the Talk: Making Circular Design a Reality
PIAO CHAIR
The PIAO CHAIR is made from multiple layers of fibrous paper, laminated together by hand to create a lightweight yet remarkably strong structure. The edges of the paper are left raw and uneven, highlighting the material’s natural origins and the craftsmanship involved in the chair’s production.
The chair’s form evokes the silhouette of Ming-dynasty horseshoe chairs—an iconic element of Chinese furniture history. The choice of material is inspired by the traditional paper umbrella-making techniques of the Yuhang District in Hangzhou, where PINWU Design Studio is located.
PINWU Design Studio was founded by Zhang Lei, Christoph John, and Jovana Zhang after they met at the Milan Salone del Mobile furniture fair in 2010. Their work often explores how fragile or ephemeral materials like paper can be transformed through skill and creativity into durable objects.