Sailing Towards Sustainability: Material-Based, Practice-Led Research

Date
2021
Authors
Albarrán González, D
Nienhuis, A
Supervisor
Item type
Conference Contribution
Degree name
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Plymouth College of Art
Abstract

In this article, we discuss the experiential learnings from two collaborative research projects exploring the reuse of discarded competitive sails in Aotearoa New Zealand. The visually appealing and composite sail material, which normally goes to landfill because it is difficult to recycle, was the centre of our creative, practice-led and material-based approach, driven by sustainability and reflexivity. To achieve this, we applied environmental, social and economic lenses to our research processes and outcomes. We used two distinct projects as test cases to analyse and reflect on the realities, challenges, limitations and opportunities in the reuse of waste material in object and fashion design, also considering the differences between commercial design contexts and art-based approaches. In the first project, we aimed for replicable and commercial outcomes, emphasising material efficiency while simultaneously seeking to collaborate with and economically benefit a women-led refugee trust. In the second project, we aimed to create consciousness of the potential uses for discarded material, highlighting the visual aesthetics of the high-tech and historically meaningful sails in the context of Aotearoa New Zealand. We found that, while there were only minor differences in the design process, external conditions like funding agendas and exhibition spaces play an important role in the perception of design outcomes. Furthermore, there are structural barriers to addressing the social dimension of sustainability in commercial projects with not-for-profits, especially in short-term projects.

Description
Keywords
Artistic practise , Design process , Practice-led research , Reuse , Sails , Sustainability , Upcycling , Waste
Source
Making Futures: People, Place, Meaning: Crafting Social Worlds & Social Making. Plymouth College of Art. VI, 2019. 2021
DOI
Rights statement
To ensure the widest possible dissemination Making Futures is published as open-access academic resource. Not-for-profit users are able to download the full articles for reading. Not-for-profit users wishing to quote or reuse any part or section of an article in print or electronic media must ensure the used portion is accompanied by a credit acknowledging the original author and Plymouth College of Art as the original publishers of the paper. For-profit users should contact the Making Futures Project Manager at Plymouth College of Art for permissions.