Matters of Reassembly

Long description

The design method Matters of Reassembly is a reaction to the tremendous amounts of waste that the Western affluent society accumulates. Building on the idea, that waste is a social construct, Matters of Reassembly considers pre-owned products as resource that – disassembled into their elements – can be used to produce new sustainable objects. Matters of Reassembly questions the sense to produce new products when we already live in abundance. Therefore it advocates for the reuse of elements in order to extend their lifespan. In the process of reassembly, these elements are combined with natural materials. This combination can be seen as an act of Biophilia which emphasises the vital connection between humans and nature. 

The method allows for the creation of objects with unique stories, contrasting the flawless surfaces of mass-produced and often lifeless products used in our everyday lives. As the method focusses on an emission-free production, all resources are collected within a 1 km radius – the omnipresence of discarded products enables this. In order to establish a circular system (repurpose after repurpose), each element is changed as little as possible and thus, stays reminiscent of its former use. New connections are made for an easy separability, that is why only screws, dowels and rivets are used. Hence, Matters of Reassembly is an example of what can be considered to be the full extent of sustainable manufacturing.

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