Super Use
"...scarcity, whether real or constructed, might inspire us to widen the field of practice and allow us to operate more creatively". -Jeremy Till
When given a project, in most cases, there are constraints and limitations associated with the project and as designers we have to creatively work with the given constraints and limitations, in other words we need to turn the negative (constraints/limitations) into areas of opportunities to design something out of the box.
I found the reading by Jeremy Till extremely interesting. The idea of repurposing materials and objects as they are found and finding a new use for them allows for really interesting designs and applications to occur. This process, super-use, takes materials that were destined to end up in a landfill and finds innovative uses for them in various projects. This type of repurposing saves money, energy and waste. Could you imagine what the built environment would be like if the process of super-use was employed throughout projects? I think this idea of using materials, objects, components that are unwanted and making them work in different applications in the built environment is something that more architects and designers should try to do.
When given a project, in most cases, there are constraints and limitations associated with the project and as designers we have to creatively work with the given constraints and limitations, in other words we need to turn the negative (constraints/limitations) into areas of opportunities to design something out of the box.
Officina Roma - made from old bottles, car doors, and used oil barrels
Wikado playground - made from wind turbines
I found the reading by Jeremy Till extremely interesting. The idea of repurposing materials and objects as they are found and finding a new use for them allows for really interesting designs and applications to occur. This process, super-use, takes materials that were destined to end up in a landfill and finds innovative uses for them in various projects. This type of repurposing saves money, energy and waste. Could you imagine what the built environment would be like if the process of super-use was employed throughout projects? I think this idea of using materials, objects, components that are unwanted and making them work in different applications in the built environment is something that more architects and designers should try to do.
I think this idea is really great and I always love seeing the way that existing structures are re-used in creative ways. One example I can think of is an airplane in Europe that was converted into a hostel. Also the huge wave of people creating tiny houses out of buses, campers, or vans is very intriguing. Your post spoke less about reusing existing structures in their entirety, and more about taking pieces of existing structures and recycling them, which is not only sustainable, but can also lead to more fun and exiting spaces.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you! As architects, I feel like something we prefer to have a complete blank slate where we can let our imagination run with whatever we want without constraints. While it may be true that this level of freedom could promote creativity in some, I also believe giving yourself a ton of constraints can do the same. When you have a lot of constrains, such as being forced to reuse materials, it can force innovative thinking and the creation of ideas that would have never been considered should the circumstances been different.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of repurposing materials. The energy to make these materials have already been expended and like you mentioned, would end up in a dump. The opportunity for this type of design is endless as cities and towns expand and demolish existing structures.
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