INTRODUCING A CIRCULAR ECONOMY MODEL FOR TACKLING SOCIAL CRISES.
NOOK BREAKS A CYCLE OF UNPLANNED AND INHUMANE RESPONSES TO SUDDEN MIGRATION.
This is the result of a project aiming to find new strategies and business models for producers to get involved into the Circular Economy. We worked in partnership with Danish furniture producer Tvilum, for extending their business reach using their current know-how and infrastructure. With an extensive B2B network, they have a variety of clients around the world and a large capacity to produce ready-to-assemble furniture.
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This was a teamwork project, in which I participated in the research stage, concept and product design, and visual communication. The process was for me the opportunity to bring together strategic thinking with a social purpose.
Partner: Tvilum
Type of work: Design research, strategy, and design systems.
Collaborators: Alexis Desbois, Thomas Tamang, Masato Kagiwada.
Mentors: prof. Martin Pärn, Janno Nõu.
Project length: 4 months.
THE PROBLEM
Although sudden forced migration is a phenomenon in history since long ago, there are still no humane and practical responses for it. So its fast growth is demanding to the private and public sectors to be prepared with solutions that mitigate the impact in the local and new arrival community.
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Migration due to violent conflicts, food insecurity, and environmental disasters is a complex situation for the destination regions because it is unexpected and massive. The improvised and overcrowded accommodations, which are the result of a lack of preparation and existing solutions, affect migrants physically and emotionally. Displaced people require stability, privacy, and a sense of usefulness, which can often not be provided in these circumstances. These situations can persist for months.
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Without denying that this is a socioeconomic problem, we envisioned this as an opportunity for Tvilum to extend their business by providing better living conditions for forced migrants, and a solution for governments to assist them in a dignified way.
THE PROCESS
To detect forced migration as a target topic, and to understand the people’s mindset, needs and interests, we used the following research and design methodology:
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Desktop research for housing, living and migration foresight.
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Interviews with migrants in more than 10 countries.
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System mapping of mindset, behaviors and collective actions of migrants around the world.
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Participatory research and observation for understanding migrant’s ways of living and personal spaces.
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Prototyping of scaled physical space and interactions.
For understanding the different stages of the transitional process, we asked people with a migration status to share with us how their living place looks like.
We also used public resources from social media to see how life in emergency shelters is.
Sources: IG. @mmuheisen / eltiempo.com
The research showed that poor living conditions in shelters provoke social conflicts, a low sense of security and hopelessness, all-important factors limiting the integration process. Additionally, for the local community, the new arrivals imply a high waste of resources, contamination, and social polarization.
HOW TO MAKE IT BETTER?
Involving the concept of Circular Economy into the proposal guided us to think of a reusable solution that encourages arrival countries to be prepared for sudden crises, avoiding permanent settlements, and high amounts of waste. At the same time, it supports the economy by engaging producers, humanitarian agencies, and governments as stakeholders.
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Therefore, the proposal had to provide values for both, the stakeholders and the people using the shelter.
THE DESIGN
Nook breaks the cycle of unplanned and inhuman responses to sudden migration, with an indoor modular system that provides dignified living conditions. The system of reusable self-packed furniture attempts to generate a Village environment which aims to restore refugees’ psychological comfort and emotional safety, while rebuilding family unity and creating connections as part of the integration process.
The village is composed of cell living units, wide corridors, entrance areas, socialization points, and a central shared area.
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Designed as a nucleated settlement where the living units are located around a central point of common use.
THE VILLAGE
THE CELL UNIT
As modules, each cell unit incorporates 6 rooms with a capacity of up to 12 people and it includes a central 3 m. corridor for encouraging communication between the unit members.
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The units were created as an analogy of a Condominium, a Latin word formed by the prefix con- ("together") and the dominion, meaning "shared property".
LOGISTICS
In order to assure a reusable system, Nook supplies furniture which incorporates the package with its own parts, so no others are needed. They are designed for rapid assembly and disassembly with a minimum need of tools and manpower.
