CASE Study - project WASTEMAN

What does it mean to be
a waste-free society?

Why

On the Baltic island of Bornholm public waste company BOFA together with the island’s local government has announced a vision to become a waste-free society by 2032. To reach the ambitious goal BOFA  decided to test circular design methods for sorting and handling of household waste in the towns of Gudhjem and Pedersker.

The challenge has been to radically redesign a system with currently very little sorting of householde waste to a future that practically eliminates the concept of waste.

A special challenge has been to adress the collection logistics in old town centres with narrow and steep streets. Likewise, a rich architectural heritage of these areas leaves a challenge on how to place waste bins in the public domain without intefering with the aesthetics of the town.

How

Together with People People People Studio we have developed the Wasteman
design thinking methodology and executed a series of design sprints and events with citizens and local stakeholders.

The approach has been to focus on methods for codesign and involvement creating a living lab space where professional designers, engineers and architects can interact and cocreate with end-users.

Prototyping has been key to the process making rapid prototypes and creating a physical exhibition to stimulate ideation and exchange of ideas and perceptions.

As a first phase delivery we co-authored a design manual on circular change. Take a look at it here >>

What

The project has led to a series of new prototypes and systems for collecting and sorting household waste, including food waste, paper, cardboard, glass, two types of plastics, electronics, textiles and residual waste.

The experimental involvement and codesign together with local citizens has also resulted in several key insights on how to succesfully engage private households in change processes. These insights will be applied when eventually new systems will be

During the summer 2020 the new sorting system placed in public streets and shopping hotspots will be tested as a living lab with 50 households in the towns of Gudhjem and Pedersker.

We use cookies to improve our site and your experience. By continuing to browse our site you accept our cookie policy.