Pathway for Designing with New DIY, Circular and Biobased Materials: Insights from Three Case Studies

Abstract

In recent years, evidence shows the depleting consequences of bad material application on our planet. This drove research to designing new substitutive and less-polluting materials. Materials derived from biomass, known as biobased materials, hold much potential as is shown in previous research. In addition, research efforts are also being made to help industrial designers work with these new materials. However, each of the supporting methodologies developed today focuses only on one piece of the bigger picture. This article examines three case studies of designers working with DIY, circular and biobased materials and highlights the similarities and contradictions of their design processes. Designing applications for these new materials mostly enacts in large systems. This explains why research on designing with new DIY, circular and biobased materials is in need to use many different complementary methodologies in conjunction, whilst still maintaining a structured and organized overview on the research. Therefore, a possible pathway is suggested to potentially support the designer in structuring, organizing and overviewing the complex research and development process of designing with new biobased materials. Ultimately, this study suggests that future efforts should be devoted to applying and validating the supportive pathway and embracing its open-ended and indeterminate nature. Conclusively, this article additionally uncovers the interesting bridge between the domain of designing with new DIY, circular and biobased materials and the designer's behaviour within.