Topic outline

  • Group Work : Circular Economy Project

    During the Summer School you will attend lectures and be provided with additional video lectures and reading materials which target three different levels of Circular Economy: ​

    • Scenarios ​

    • Systems​

    • Materials and products​

    ​

    Then, combine these three levels as you please and decide what your group’s main focus will be for the project.​

    ​Do you want to design products which fit into a circular system? Do you want to create a system which enhances product longevity through repair and reuse services? Or do you want to concentrate on scenario building and how our future living environment and product world could enhance more resource efficiency? ​

    ​Even if you focus on one individual level, please consider and connect all these levels in your group’s work and reflect on them in your daily insights submission (within myCourses.aalto.fi). 

    ​

    • Please create your idea of the following scenario: How will circular economy work in 2035?​

    • Form a concept you want to work with as a group​

    • Form your approach to circular economy: ​

    1. (discuss) what interests do you have in relation to circular economy?​
    2. (frame) what is the problem you want to solve at the system level and/or on the product design level as a group? ​
    3. (envision) Are you interested in including scenario building into your approach? Which futures and large-scale changes do you target in the long-term? ​

    • Construct a system concept for a specific product, its production, use, and recycling within a certain geographical context.​

    • Design a product suitable for this CE system and the scenario you have created. Your approach can be presented visually, and/or through prototype(s). Please remember that the most important aspect in product design for CE is to slow down (extend the use phase + new business models), close the material loop (recycling at the end), create a new system model and build products suitable for this new system. ​

    • An exhibition will be assembled throughout the 2 weeks of the Summer School, it will present your group’s process as well as your final proposal. Each group will have enough space in the final exhibition to add insights, sketches, system maps and visions, which are the building blocks of your project’s solution. So, please, elaborate on your process and clearly present the problem you tackled, your approach to it, and showcase your solution.​


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