Abstract
Recent approaches to sustainability from the perspective of Design are still based on the production and consumption of ‘brand new’ things (McDonough and Braungart 2002). Although these approaches have made significant contributions, it is necessary to explore other approaches based on reuse. This paper develops the concept of ‘grave to cradle’ presenting a case study of an opportunity shops in Melbourne. Grave to cradle is proposed as a design approach aimed at intervening ways to reduce waste through the re-valuation of things at liminal stages in their lifecycles (Reno 2014). Grave to cradle is a response to recent approaches to Sustainable Design that are based on the production of ‘brand new’ designs and lifestyles revolving around consumption of new products. The grave to cradle approach is developed through a study of a Vinnies (St. Vincent de Paul Society) store located in a Melbourne suburb. This case study has been developed through ethnographic fieldwork of the everyday
routines of these places, which has involved the participation in collaborative activities of sorting, pricing, rotating, exhibiting, selling, and discarding. The paper will propose to consider creative collaborative practices of re-valorisation that have taken place as part of this fieldwork between designer-researcher and non-designers (volunteers, store managers, donors, customers) (Hallam and Ingold 2007) as ways by which design can harness reuse as alternatives to ‘ brand new’ consumerism (Walker 2011).
routines of these places, which has involved the participation in collaborative activities of sorting, pricing, rotating, exhibiting, selling, and discarding. The paper will propose to consider creative collaborative practices of re-valorisation that have taken place as part of this fieldwork between designer-researcher and non-designers (volunteers, store managers, donors, customers) (Hallam and Ingold 2007) as ways by which design can harness reuse as alternatives to ‘ brand new’ consumerism (Walker 2011).
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Unmaking Waste 2015 Conference Proceedings |
Editors | Katharine Thornton |
Place of Publication | Adelaide SA Australia |
Publisher | Zero Waste SA Research Centre for Sustainable Design and Behaviour |
Pages | 646-656 |
Number of pages | 11 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780994336071 |
Publication status | Published - 2015 |
Externally published | Yes |
Event | Unmaking Waste 2015: Transforming Production and Consumption in Time and Place - University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia Duration: 22 May 2015 → 24 May 2015 https://www.unmakingwaste.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/UMW_Cover_Foreword_Table-of-Contents-.pdf |
Conference
Conference | Unmaking Waste 2015: Transforming Production and Consumption in Time and Place |
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Country/Territory | Australia |
City | Adelaide |
Period | 22/05/15 → 24/05/15 |
Internet address |
Keywords
- Grave to cradle
- second-hand
- revalorization
- design for reuse