Plasticity Imaginaries as Sustainable Design Pedagogy

Abstract

The sustainable approach in design education is ubiquitous, yet too many barriers exist to its application in the real world. Plastic waste, for example, has been a potential architectural building element for years. Still, its application is uncommon because of the gap between waste processing and consumers' demand and knowledge as the main contributors to the waste volume. The paper aims to discuss the possibility of design class pedagogy with the reflection from the class " Architecture and Waste: Plastic by UMN." How the sustainable approach could affect students towards the actual act daily became the intention of the course? The method uses a practiced-based methodology by dividing the class into two balance sessions of theory and practice, thus creating loops of the design process. They were ignited by the discussion on sustainable design approaches in design, architecture and construction, and plastic waste, both potential and problems, and projecting the issue into everyday life. Plastic is used due to its abundance and can be recycled in small units. The result shows that focusing on the process and relating what the class and workshop are doing to everyday life could effectively impact students' thinking about sustainability. Furthermore, by doing deep research on certain materials, the student has a broader illustration of how the networks of sustainability work that will affect more significant decision-making, especially in architecture.

Keywords

• Plastic waste
• Design pedagogy
• Sustainable design
• Recycle
• Material.

References

1. Ahmed, I. (2022). Plastic recycling remains a 'myth': Greenpeace study. Yahoo! News. Retrieved October 28, 2022, from https://news.yahoo.com/plastic-recycling-remains-myth-greenpeace-042311448.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly90LmNvLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAEKpfovzilqzc1R4kLHcliPlPCwt7hZSF3c2eF7zCLFidpHumbJgOL6INjXQ5N-d7_4wqnWDwzNpU54L7vYUSuV0i3ZpThlkNj_LVaEiRNh
2. Bank , World. (2021, July 28). Plastic waste discharges from rivers and coastlines in Indonesia. World Bank. Retrieved October 28, 2022, from https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/indonesia/publication/plastic-waste-discharges-from-rivers-and-coastlines-in-indonesia - :~:text=Indonesia generates approximately 7.8 million,leaked from improperly managed landfills
3. Braungart, M., & McDonough, W. (2009). Cradle to cradle: Remaking the way we make things. Vintage.
4. Calkins, M. (2009). Materials for Sustainable Sites: A Complete Guide to the evaluation, selection, and use of sustainable construction materials. Wiley.
5. Colomina, B., & Wigley, M. (2016). Are we human?: The Archaeology of Design. Lars Müller Publishers. Cross, Nigel. (2006). Designerly Ways of Knowing. London: Springer.
6. Cut and Rescue (2021). All is Well : Bukan Lautan Hanya Kolam Susu [Video installation]. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/CYdgJ1LPstg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
7. Elhacham, E., Ben-Uri, L., Grozovski, J., Bar-On, Y. M., & Milo, R. (2020). Global human-made mass exceeds all living biomass. Nature, 588(7838), 442–444. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-3010-5
8. Hebel, D., Wisniewska, M., & Heisel, F. (2014). Building from waste recovered materials in architecture and construction. Birkhäuser Verlag GmbH.

9. IEA (2019), Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2019, IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/reports/global-status-report-for-buildings-and-construction-2019, License: CC BY 4.0
10. Koralek, D., & Stockhammer, D. (2020). Upcycling: Reuse and repurposing as a design principle in architecture = upcycling: Wieder- und Weiterverwendung Als gestaltungsprinzip in der architektur. Triest. 
11. Lucas, R. (2016). Research Methods for Architecture. Laurence King. 
12. Papanek, V. (2021). The Green Imperative Ecology and ethics in design and architecture. Thames & Hudson.
13. Parker, L. (2021, May 3). The world's plastic pollution crisis explained. Environment. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/plastic-pollution 
14. PlasticsEurope AISBL. (2018). Plastics: Architects of modern and sustainable buildings. Brussels, Belgium;
15. PlasticsEurope AISBL. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://plasticseurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Final_BC_brochure_111212_web_version_UPD2018.pdf 
16. Published by Hanadian Nurhayati-Wolff, H. W., & 20, A. (2020, April 20). Indonesia: Number of online shoppers 2017-2022. Statista. Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/971411/indonesia-number-online-shoppers/
17. Redjo, S. (2022, July 22). Sampah Plastik: Reduce Dan Reuse Dahulu Sebelum recycle. Greenpeace Indonesia. Retrieved October 28, 2022, from https://www.greenpeace.org/indonesia/cerita/46372/sampah-plastik-reduce-dan-reuse-dahulu-sebelum-recycle/
18. Schiano-Phan, R., Gonçalves, J. C., & Vallejo, J. A. (2022). Pedagogy pro-design and climate literacy: Teaching methods and research approaches for sustainable architecture. Sustainability, 14(11), 6791. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116791
19. TEMPO.CO. (2022, February 8). Menyediakan Air Minum Yang Aman Dikonsumsi. Tempo. Retrieved October 13, 2022, from https://nasional.tempo.co/read/1558759/menyediakan-air-minum-yang-aman-dikonsumsi 
20. Venditti, Graphics/Design:, B. (2022, October 25). Visualizing the accumulation of human-made mass on Earth. Visual Capitalist. Retrieved October 29, 2022, from https://www.visualcapitalist.com/visualizing-the-accumulation-of-human-made-mass-on-earth/ 
21. Villarrubia-Gómez, P., Cornell, S., Carney Almroth, B., Ryberg, M., & Eriksen, M. (2022). Plastics pollution and the planetary boundaries framework. https://doi.org/10.31223/x5p05h
22. Waite, R. (2022, December 7). 'students told to ignore existing building' – survey reveals Retrofit Teaching Gap. The Architects' Journal. Retrieved December 8, 2022, from https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/students-told-to-ignore-existing-building-survey-reveals-retrofit-teaching-gaps eea=YWlYY1ZNc3BaOVNGRlNCbTVUcHhaUXg4SGxzSWUzL1o4dGlUd0RWNm1tQT0%3D&utm_source=acs&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=FABS_AJ_EDI_REGS_DAILY_07_12_22&deliveryName=DM100610 
23. Wyckmans, A. (2008). Environmental Learning in Architecture: From Individual Choice to Collective Responsibility. Nordic Journal of Architectural Research, 20(3), 73–87.
24. Zeisel, J. (2006). Inqury by Design. Norton Professional Books