by Matthew Butler, on 29 May 2019 16:29:26 CEST
A #NoTimeToWaste project for a sustainable future
Ondrej Fucik, student on the MA Future Design programme, has gained the attention of the #NoTimeToWaste committee and may be selected to present at the final conference, High Time, on June 4.
The project is heavily based on extensive research Ondrej did on Czech “Makers”, including the DIY populations, artists, and handymen of all types, who search out materials and like to keep them on hand in case they are ever needed. He explored their habits and motivations and discovered that for many of them it was more about the process of creating itself, doing things manually, which made them happy.
This was often connected to experiences with other family members, the boy scouts or as a part of their upbringing. Mainly they saw the act of creating something on their own as an act of personal development. Crucially, these makers heavily identified with the materials that they worked with, and despaired when they observed objects or materials being thrown away.
The research led to an interest in connecting these makers with discarded or found objects or materials that would otherwise be relegated to the dump. Ondrej researched how he could map the urban landscape and capture the location and details of these materials. His final project is a community-based app for Czech Makers which allows users to identify potentially interesting or useful materials and share the location and photographs with other members.
Ondrej believes that designers have a responsibility towards creating a sustainable future, especially as designers are also partially responsible for the throw-away culture we live in. The committee looks forward to seeing the final result.
