Sustainability & Spatial Design

Inspired by the University of Brighton's Waste House, and Michael Wolf's Bastard Chairs, students are invited to join a workshop looking at the possibilities of sustainability in relation to circular spatial design.

Circular design is the principle of using waste materials to make new things, rather than making new things from new materials. By doing this we are recycling the useful materials which might previously have ended up as landfill, and we are also not taking any more ‘new’ materials from the earth. This has a huge positive impact on CO2 emissions and reduces consumption of the earth's resources. Win win!

Waste House, designed by architect Duncan Baker Brown, was conceived as a student research project between 2012 - 2014. The majority of materials used to build the house were reclaimed or waste products and although the building has a timber frame construction and clay tiled roof, many of the other materials used were unconventional. Chalk spoil from a nearby building site forms a load bearing wall, and 20,000 unwanted toothbrushes and two tonnes of offcut denim fabric are used as insulation materials. The exterior wall cladding - which gives an impression of traditional clay shingles - is actually made from overlapping carpet tiles, fixed with the fluffy side hidden.

With imaginative reuse in mind, and referencing Michael Wolf’s Bastard Chairs series of photographs for inspiration, we will be looking at how we can repurpose what is found close by to create a new spatial intervention.

The workshop will include model making and sketch drawing to explore the possibilities of circular spatial design.

For a brief introduction to some of the ideas to be explored in the workshop, try to watch Duncan Baker Brown’s TedTalk before you arrive:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWUpV6J1JN8

You could also take a look at some of Michael Wolf’s photographs or read a little more about his work documenting informal seating arrangements in China and Hong Kong. Search online using the term ‘Michael Wolf bastard chairs’ or start with this link: https://medium.com/@KarenChhui/michael-wolf-informal-seating-arrangements-bastard-chairs-multiples-dabe3fc5b23e

There is a padlet full of research and resources here which you can access pre and post event.

Everyone is welcome, come along and try something new!