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WORTH Partnership Project
Project

Common Sands

Collection of home décor glassware, using material from waste electronic apparatus while keeping the dna of the original product

Common Sands

The project

The project aims to create a valid economic cycle for those currently “problematic” second cycle resources. Currently silicate residues from household appliances are not recycled. On the contrary they cause disturbance for the recycling of other materials.
The main challenges for the project are the economic viability and the technical feasibility.
Collaboration with relevant partners are key to overcome such challenges.

Storytelling

THE IDEA:

Hi we are Studio Plastique.We initiated the project common sands about 3 years ago. It started as a research into the abundant resources available as trash from e-waste.
For design, material is an important ingredient. So it occurred quite naturally to us to start by questioning the resources that are needed for the making of new products.

Common Sands - image 1
Common Sands - image 2
THE BIRTH OF THE PROJECT:

We realised also that sand tops everything in term of importance for our current civilisation. Sand, in fact, is the 3rd most consumed resource on earth, after air and water.
It is commonly perceived as a rather banal material. We enjoy it on our beaches, but few know it makes our electronic devices function, our homes light and warm, our communication fast (and ever faster)… to name a few.

Common Sands - image 3
THE CREATIVE PROCESS:

Our journey then led us to understand that at the end of life, the recycling of technical glass is currently problematic for practical and economic reasons. An opportunity for design as we practice it.
We applied our skills and expertise as designers for the development of new perspectives and potential for silicate waste materials. Considering the scarcity of natural sand, the challenge today lays in finding new applications for those local resources.

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THE COLLABORATION:

With the help of Worth and our partner Arcam glass we were able to exploit the unique properties of the waste glass to create attractive products, where standardised processes have failed so far. We have let the glass lead our way, form followed material you can say.
The vases and hooks we designed carry that DNA, specific to those local materials of global heritage. All while reducing the impact on the environment in comparison with the use of raw natural resources.

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THE FUTURE:

Millions of tonnes of e-waste silicates „disappear“ yearly in EU, ending in landfill.

Making Common Sands ready for the market will therefore be an evident next step for the project to become a reference in terms of economic and ecologic impact and future vision for tackling the available abundance.

Common Sands - image 6
THE MESSAGE:

As designers we hope to incite cross-disciplinary collaboration between experts of all fields. We believe this to be essential for Europe to be a strong, progressive and innovative territory.

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Projects Edition
WORTH Partnership Projects I
Project Call
2nd Call Projects
Project Sector
Furniture - Home Decoration
Project Challenge
Circular Economy

Contact

Studio Plastique

STUDIO PLASTIQUE works around various themes ranging from societal topics to material explorations with human well-being as its core value.

The studio was co-founded by Belgian Designer, Archibald Godts, in 2016. Archibald graduated from the Design Academy Eindhoven in 2015

Name
Studio Plastique
Postal address
Belgium

Arcam Glass

A workshop based on research and development for creative professionals (artists, designers, architects etc.). With six years of training in workshops around the world, Acram’s director Simon Muller built the workshop in 2011, in the Nantes region. Skills include glass blowing, thermoforming, fusing, finishing, etc.

Name
Arcam Glass
Postal address
France