In Segovia, students are presenting projects that aim to improve our daily lives, focusing on high-impact issues such as respect for the environment and social media addiction.
ROBERTO ARRIBAS – Every year we dump 15 million tons of plastics into the sea. According to a recent study by an international team of scientists, in just 60 years, more than 900 million tons of plastic garbage has already settled at the bottom of our seas and oceans. There is no doubt that pollution due to plastic waste is one of the biggest environmental problems of our time. If we do not curb this trend, sustainability will not be a choice, but a necessity—our only chance of survival.
On the surface, making progress on the road to sustainability looks complicated. In creative design processes, it is quite unusual for companies to steer away from plastic and use fully biodegradable or recyclable materials. But all is not lost: a new generation of designers has taken up the gauntlet for sustainability and made it the hallmark of their commitment to the environment. These young designers emphasize that good design implies more than just coming up with fancy gadgets that make our lives easier—it also means respecting the natural environment and combating climate change. Ultimately, the best designs are those that meet our present needs without negatively impacting the needs of future generations.
The students of IE School of Architecture and Design are well aware of the importance of sustainable design. Over the last few days, they’ve been showcasing their creative potential as they present their final projects. Under the guidance of Professor Héctor Serrano, the students of the Design Studio II course have created various objects. The premise is that a well-executed design can improve our daily lives with regard to highly relevant contemporary issues as global warming or addiction to technology and social media.
In a project entitled “Sustainable Rituals,” Professor Serrano challenged his students to design new gadgets that would help reduce carbon dioxide and waste and encourage recycling. According to Professor Serrano, “In recent years we have witnessed a demand for more sustainable products in response to the need to curb global warming, which is driving us to design new products that address these new challenges in a simple and effective way. This project addresses this demand and anticipates future demands.”
The results of these design students’ in-depth research and continuous experimentation are currently on display at IE University’s Creativity Center—a collection of sustainability-oriented products that promote healthier and more environmentally friendly habits in our day to day.
IE University students have taken a closer look at common activities—such as brushing teeth, grocery shopping, cooking and traveling—and proposed innovative ideas focused on products and user experiences.
The students presented objects that include single-use cups made of wheat that can hold solids and liquids for an hour and that “can be eaten or composted after use,” lighters that are 100% biodegradable, and a tubeless toothpaste in the form of a bar that works like a bar of soap, “allowing the user to apply the product to their toothbrush using water.”
Other gadgets the students dreamed up range from hangers made from cardboard and reusable metal to shoe racks made from recyclable cardboard boxes and molds that allow you to create your own surfboard fins using plastic garbage collected on the beaches. Other products included a “fingerprinting” game—designed to encourage sustainable practices among young children—and beach toys made from seaweed extract.
OFFLINE AND ALIVE
In another project, entitled “Offline and Alive,” Professor Serrano invited his students to design products that encourage spending time offline—namely, objects and experiences capable of making us reflect on our addiction to social media and the internet. “The result of this quest is a collection of designs that encourage us to spend time digitally unplugged,” he stresses.
These objects include a “revolutionary device” that can stop incoming calls and notifications, a cell phone case that reminds us not to overuse our electronic devices, a selfie stick with an alarm that goes off when it detects danger as we’re snapping a picture, and a glove and ring that, over time, become uncomfortable for users hooked to their smartphones.
IE University students have also developed screens, holders and cases for cell phones designed to prevent us from getting distracted by the constant notifications we receive. The students’ imagination has known no bounds— among other projects, they’ve designed a simple device that, in addition to “deactivating” your phone, invites you to practice yoga as a game, as well as a physical toy for children that only works if a phone is docked to it. All of these are ideas to improve our quality of life and reduce our technology dependence.
Summary:
IE University students have taken a closer look at common activities—such as brushing teeth, grocery shopping, cooking and traveling—and proposed innovative ideas focused on products and user experiences.
IE University students have also developed screens, holders and cases for cell phones designed to prevent us from getting distracted by the constant notifications we receive.
Photo caption: Students had to design gadgets that help reduce carbon dioxide and waste and encourage recycling / ROBERTO ARRIBAS.