Upcycling Systems Design, Developing a Methodology through Design

Abstract

Design has an important role in shaping the modes of production, consumption and disposal. Decisions made early in the product, service and system development influence the majority of the environmental impact and social consequences. With sustainability emerging as the major challenge of our times, the creation of novel methodologies, economic models and innovative materials is critical. In this paper, we put forward a new methodology that aims to bridge the ecomodernist business-focused circular economy models with the expressive material driven design (MDD) approach. The ‘design out waste methodology’ (DOWM) bridges existing concepts, methods and practices, creating an innovative design and production process that redefines waste and sets it up as a subject of creative study. The purpose of this process is to help designers understand the importance of evaluating the entire life cycle of a product; it also enables local ‘degrowth’ by shifting our modes of production towards a human scale with local makers exchanging knowledge and expressing themselves through upcycled materials, while simultaneously eradicating the very concept of waste. The methodology has been developed in an iterative research-through-design process that combines experiential and tacit knowledge from local case studies with desk research of emerging case studies in MDD.

Sustainable design strategy through upcycling waste wood material and creating a digital marketplace for micro crafters community

“…The material selection aspect of the design process must evolve to include this logic but also involve the aesthetic and experiential properties of materials in the design process. However, creating new loops and materials is not simply a technical problem [14]. To go through the design process of upcycling materials is necessary to understand the type and character of the material to be used.…”

Sustainable Design Orientation in Furniture-Manufacturing SMEs in Zimbabwe

“…The circular economy seeks to redefine waste not as trash but as a valuable resource with the potential for a new value creation chain in its lifecycle. Therefore, this can be a significant SME contribution to the circular economy which advocates for minimizing waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use for a longer time, and regenerating natural systems [71].…”

Research through co-design

“…In the meantime, despite the multiple variants, RTD is also explored in several disciplines and fields related to design (e.g. Lenzholzer, Duchhart & Koh 2013; Maher et al 2018; Groeneveld et al 2019; Shroyer & Turns 2021; Bofylatos 2022; Cortesão & Lenzholzer 2022) with multiple interpretations also (e.g. Suberi 2022) by evidencing an interest in finding formal models and frameworks for its application.…”