Design by Waste
Design of sustainable furniture in a new geopolymer material, designed and created with construction waste, for natural urban spaces
Description
In an era marked by climate change and the urgent need for sustainable practices, the aim of Design By Waste is to provide a theoretical and practical path in the field of design and circular economy. This approach aims to demonstrate the importance of conscious and sustainable design that takes into account contemporary environmental and social issues, and to show how waste materials can be transformed into valuable resources for sustainable design through the creation of GeoWaste, a new geopolymeric material developed from construction and demolition waste, and GeoGround, a sustainable furniture system for urban green spaces. This thesis, born from reflections on our time and society, underscores the importance of waste, which should no longer be seen as refuse but as a resource. The main goals are twofold and inseparable: the first relates to the creation of a low-impact geopolymeric material using construction waste, one of the most impactful types of waste on our planet. In the laboratories of CNR-ISSMC (Institute of Science, Technology, and Sustainability for Ceramic Materials Development) in Faenza, a geopolymer was developed to meet sustainability needs and the reintegration of construction waste materials, possessing suitable mechanical and physical characteristics for natural outdoor use. Thus, GeoWaste was born, a geopolymeric material with a percentage of non-preselected construction and demolition waste. This material was created, characterized, and functionalized to be applicable in outdoor contexts and to serve as a bioreceptive support on which park vegetation can grow. The second goal involves the creation of an urban furniture system for natural spaces, aimed at enhancing meeting points for those who want to live in open, welcoming, and natural, albeit anthropized, spaces. This furniture system, called GeoGround, consists of three types of furniture: collective seating, benches, and small tables. All these elements are modular and combinable, allowing them to adapt to the needs of users and organizations, and to the configurations of parks. They are always made up of three elements: base, top, and joint. For this reason, the thesis is divided into three parts: the research phase, in which the problematic issues of our time are analyzed; the experimentation phase, aimed at defining and creating the geopolymeric material; and the final phase, dedicated to the development of the final project and the application of the material. Specifically, the first phase addresses the critical themes of climate change, the effects of the pandemic, and the importance of green and collective spaces, highlighting the crucial role of the designer in responding to the needs of society and the environment. This section includes an in-depth analysis of the impact of waste on a global level, particularly from the construction sector, laying the foundation for the subsequent phases. In the experimentation phase, the research focuses on creating the material in the laboratories of CNR-ISSMC in Faenza. GeoWaste was developed using construction waste and aims to combine sustainability and adaptability for outdoor applications. The final project represents the practical synthesis of the research and experimentation, proposing an urban furniture system for natural spaces. GeoGround not only enhances meeting points in open environments but also incorporates the concept of bioreceptivity, harmoniously integrating into the natural context. The goal is to reconfigure the value and perception of urban furniture, demonstrating how waste materials can be transformed into valuable resources for sustainable design.
