Student Design Awards winners: A new leaf
Brief 2: How might we utilise local woodland resources to stimulate inclusive and sustainable economic activity?
Winners:
- Raw furniture - Harry Peck, Northumbria University, England
- Potium - Marianna Lordou, University of Dundee, DJCAD, Scotland
Woodlands are an important ecosystem and source of wood but only cover 13 percent of the landscape in the UK. In Cornwall this number is even lower at eight percent, but there are existing forests that could be merged with intentional planting. Raw Furniture proposes a furniture range that uses wood grown and crafted in Cornwall – to regenerate the local economy which has seen significant job losses. This range would promote increased planting in the region and encourage dedicated woodland management. The furniture is simply designed to reduce waste and incorporates offcuts into smaller accessories.
Phytophthora ramorum is an incurable plant disease affecting woodlands across the globe. In the United Kingdom, affected trees and those nearby are traditionally felled and burned to prevent further spread. Potium uses this infected tree waste material to form biodegradable plant pots for widespread commercial use. Larch in Scotland is particularly susceptible and there is a large management zone established in the region to limit the spread. By developing a waste management facility in this affected zone, local jobs are created and high levels of waste material are diverted from incineration to a valuable source. The plant pots themselves could serve as an alternative to plastic single use nursery pots as they biodegrade easily adding nutrients back into the soil.
Highly Commended
Zil Shah, University of Dundee, DJCAD, Scotland
IMLI: A sustainable material made entirely out of otherwise discarded tamarind shells & seeds. It aims to provide an alternate income source for farmers of minor forest products in India.
