second-life examples

From browsing the web, i've found that plastic bottles and the waste they make up are of great concern for many people including designers, craft artists and the general public. Some come from an ecological background, worried about where plastic bottle waste ends up, in landfill or being littered. Others, the designers and craft artists, seem to want to challenge themselves to achieve a second life purpose with a discarded object. I feel it is more difficult to change an object that has an existing function attached rather than designing a new object.

I also want to set myself the challenge... and for some inspiration, i've trawled the web to find the images below:



"Recycline" is a collection of ten examples of 'upcycling' plastic bottles by Ryter Design. Shown here are a range of functions a plastic bottle can provide, with just a little work and some imagination. There are many websites and forums where people can upload their second-life uses for plastic bottles, and I will be uploading some of the best examples. Above: a simple vase showcases natures finest and the sandtimer acts as a metaphor for the tipping point that our ecological situation is in currently.




The pencil holder: similar to the vase in its simplicity. Questions whether second-life design needs to have a certain amount of complexity. Compare this to the magazine holder or the money box and which one is more recognisable as a plastic bottle? The design must change the users perceptions, to do this, the function, application and/or appearance needs to change.

the 'core' of second-life design

This idea probably wouldn't work without some alteration - making the thread longer - but I feel that the concept works reasonably well. It was one of those 5 minute ideas that I threw down on paper. Its a shame that the thread isn't longer because once cored, the centre of the apple would fall nicely into the plastic bottle. However getting the core out of the bottle might prove tricky.

This idea may not work but shows that some second-life ideas will require alterations to the object being used.

second-life function

Following on from the last food/kitchen related post, the idea above is for a herb & spice dispenser. I was playing about with an old drill bit container (shown below) and used its original function but changed its application.

Is this the key to second-life functions? Keep the function, change the application? or change the function but keep the application? OR change the function AND the application?? Food for thought...

second-life function

The next few posts will focus on my exploration of the everyday plastic drinks bottle. I've found that once the liquid has been drunk, the plastic bottle which is quite a functional object, becomes worthless. My aim is to rewind a stage and make the object 'valuable' once again.



The idea above provides a very simple purpose, crushing a clove of garlic, the action of which is quite primitive, especially when using the plastic bottle.

It reminds me of a film made back in the 80's called "The Gods Must Be Crazy". The film documents the differences between an aboriginal 'bushman' tribe in Africa and a 'westernised' city in Botswana. A glass coke bottle is dropped by a Pilot flying over the tribe's homeland, a member of the family finds it, brings it back to camp and then uses it for all their everyday tasks because it is stronger than the wood or bone they would normally use. It becomes a multi-functional 'tool' of the tribe.

Can the plastic bottle become a multi-functional 'tool' for the western culture that has disposed of it?



The idea above came to me when my girlfriend suggested we buy a salad dressing shaker. While walking to uni the next day, I found an empty plastic bottle on the pavement. I realised that any plastic bottle, empty or full, is the perfect container. The screw-on lid provides a watertight seal, and the plastic is not as fragile as a glass bottle.

Obviously I did not use the bottle I found on the pavement for the salad dresser shaker. At least that's what I told my girlfriend!

And the lucky prize winner is.....

THE PLASTIC BOTTLE!!!!

Well done to all entrants who took part in the raffle, some of the best ones will be uploaded on this blog shortly.

The plastic drinks bottle is an embodiment of the western-made throwaway lifestyle. I aim to challenge this lifestyle and the perceptions of this everyday consumer object.

Let the design stage begin!!!