Browsing by Subject "Synthetic polymers"
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Item Restricted Exploring a bottom-up circular design approach in an experimental study on plastic waste(2019) Faber, Mirjam; Hillmann-Regett, Jan; Lehr, Jakob; Faculty of Architecture and Design; Berlin International University of Applied Sciences"Plastic waste and its repercussions on the environment is a widely discussed topic in today's news. It appears as if the positive characteristics of oil based plastics, physical properties that made them gain popularity in the first place, get outshined by the excessive use, inadequate disposal and unsatisfactory recycling options available today. It is important for politicians, designers, producers and consumers alike to be aware of the plastic crisis and take responsibility in implementing change. A reference for positive sustainable adjustments are the principles of circular economies or cradle to cradle design. These adjustments demand changes in the way products are developed, produced, consumed and reclaimed, and take a long time to be implemented. For consumers, it can be disillusioning to see the effects of plastic waste getting discarded into landfill or littering city streets, and to know at the same time that recycling programs are not the optimal solution for these materials either. However, seeing creative, educational or scientific approaches to the problem can be an inspiration for tackling plastic waste on your personal account. In my research, I am going to break down the basics of plastic materials and the plastic crisis, as well as the concepts of sustainable design and its challenges. Analysing present attempts at tackling this crisis creatively is going to be the foundation for an experimental study on plastic waste, which will aim at finding ways to manipulate the material with simple techniques and household items. The findings from these experiments are going to be applied in designing a product line, whose step-by-step instructions will be shared in a community-driven database and can be reproduced by people of all ages and skill sets."Item Restricted From trash to treasure : using chewing gum as a medium in jewellery design(2020) Guðmundsdóttir, Margrét Unnur; Hillmann-Regett, Jan; Tibus, Alexander; bachelor thesis in Product Design"Chewing gum is a product almost everyone, no matter their age, status, or class, is familiar with. Studies have shown that humans have been chewing natural pulp, similar to chewing gum, for about 9000 years. Therefore, a long history comes from many different communities. However, in the second half of the 20th century, natural chewing gum from pulp was replaced almost entirely by synthetic plastic gum base, creating environmental problems, as plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose. In a study from 2015, chewing gum is the second most common litter after cigarette buds. Chewing gum is a product that is consumed for a very short period, compared to its long-lasting future life. This essay discusses, among other things, chewing gum's history, material, possible further usage, conceptual art, and jewellery. The thesis' literature review will combine anthropologist Mary Douglas's ideas in the book Purity and Danger, philosopher Pravu Mazumdar's theories on jewellery and identity, and Sara Ahmed's theory 'The uses of use'. Julia Kristeva's theory about the 'Abject', presented in her book 'Powers of Horror', is also used, and last but not least, is the theoretical base in Friedrich Schiller's art philosophy about the importance of aesthetic upbringing which he explains in 'Über die ästhetische Erziehung des Menschen'. In researching this thesis, qualitative data will be collected in the form of three deep interviews. Obviously, chewing gum has its place in modern culture, it is mass-produced, and people generally buy it. However, in this study, its role in our society is questioned. Is it possible to expand its material further? The argument is political, ecological, and social. Here, the importance and usage of chewing gum is questioned entirely, and how one can apply recycling ideology in relation to artistic strategies through an experimental design process. The paper aims to answer this main question: is it possible to take something that is generally considered disgusting waste and transform it in a way that makes it beautiful and desirable?"