Upcycling Waste Paper

Long description

Paper is used so commonly in our daily life and has one of the biggest share of the household waste. While there are many factories around the world that recycle paper, it is not as eco-friendly as it is thought to be since it requires high amount of energy and water, and causes gas emissions. Upcycling, however, is a step that we should consider before recycling.

How do we upcycle paper? (Image 1) We prepare a paper clay/dough which is called papier maché by cutting paper in small pieces, wetting and grinding them through a rondo. It is upto us to use it either as it is, or by strengthening it with an adhesive. Papier maché can be used to produce many things (Images 2,3,4,5); paper (less quality than original, but can be used for drawing and writing), jewellery, bowls etc. However those objects are small scale, and their overall positive impact on environment is not as high as we would want.

What do I envision for papier maché? As a recently graduated architect, I believe that if we make a radical change in construction activities such as using more sustainable materials, it would provide a high positive impact to the environment. My project is to use the potential of papier maché and turn it into a building material. It can be molded, strengthened and dried so easily that it would make a great brick-like building material. It can be used for partition walls and non-load-bearing exterior walls.

Additional Images