BOOK RELEASE
The book ‘Reintroducing Materials for Sustainable Design’ was published by Routledge in May 2021 and is now available in most online bookstores. For talks, please contact Mette directly.
While much has been written about sustainable design over the last two decades, outlining systems of sustainability and product criteria, to design for material circularity requires a detailed understanding of the physical matter that constitutes products. Designers must not just know of materials but know how to manipulate them and work with them creatively. This book responds to the gap by offering a way to acquire the material knowledge necessary to design physical objects for sustainability. It reinforces the key role and responsibility of designers and encourages designers to take back control over the ideation and manufacturing process. Finally, it discusses the educational practice involved and the potential implications for design education following implementation, addressing didactics, facilities and expertise.
WHAT WE DO
We support companies in the transition to sustainable design and circular economy by offering:
- In-depth knowledge and expertise on sustainable design, material circularity and circular economy based on both research and years of practical experience
- A holistic approach that ensures consistency from a systemic level all the way into the products and materials used
- We work with all quantifiable parameters for sustainability, but we also address more subjective aspects like aesthetics, and perceived obsolescence
We specialise in furniture, interior architecture, packaging and product.
HOW WE DO IT
There is no sustainable solution that fits all. Therefore, we are focused on creating solutions that are aligned with the values, the aesthetics and the profile of company. Most projects include some of the following:
- Developing sustainability profile and strategy
- Consultancy / education of staff in circular economy
- Consultancy / education of staff in sustainable design
- Consultancy / education of staff in the future of sustainable materials
- Optimising existing products
- Design and material development
- Talks and workshops
- Research
ABOUT
Mette Bak-Andersen is a designer and researcher dedicated to changing the way we design things. She was educated as a designer in Barcelona in 2005 and has a PhD in sustainable design and materials from the Royal Danish Academy of Architecture and Design. For more than 13 years she has been working with sustainability and the transition to a circular economy in her design practice, in design education and in her research, both in Denmark and internationally. In 2013 she founded the Material Design Lab at Copenhagen School of Design & Technology, which she directed until 2018.
Mette has extensive experience with the design and production of furniture, products and interiors and has presented her research and designs to variety of audiences such as Berkeley University, Salone in Milan, Trapholt Museum of Design and Red Dot Museum in Essen. She has worked with a number of different companies as a design consultant supporting them in the transition to a circular economy and sustainable production. For more information about talks and consultancy, please get in touch