Do you know how much waste the design industry produces? According to a study done by PBC, the design sector uses 400 million tonnes of material every year, which results in 100 million tonnes of waste being produced. As consumers we often see finished models or projects but what goes on behind the scenes? It is a lot of trial and error, meaning a lot of waste. EcoVille has developed a solution for that. 3D printing has always been seen as a high-end design commodity, however, this proposal seeks to make this technological way to design accessible to the entire community. Using a programme provided on-site people of all ages can come and 3D print their design ideas, whether big or small. Additionally, to combat mounting waste in the design industry, a filament has been designed that has a life span of +/- 6 months. Allowing people to design, print and recycle. This is the perfect opportunity for initial ideas to be tested, prototypes to be made, and experiments to be done. Without it having an effect on the design industry’s waste.
Silo D is located in Silvertown, East London. The area itself is gentrified however still has a large area of used industrial land and a poor local residential community. With many primary and secondary schools around, as well as universities, my proposal seeks to provide entertainment and learning opportunities to them. Allowing them to study, develop their technological understandings of 3D printing, and teach them about waste and combating that. The Silo has been transformed into a multi-functional facility where people work, produce, learn and sell. Bringing more visitors from around the world to see how EcoVille combats design waste issues as well as supporting the local community.
EcoVille will not only be a great solution for current problems but will also help innovatively design and print the future.