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!!!

Achieving Cradle-to-Cradle system

There are two ways to achieve a cradle-to-cradle product life cycle system: reusing recycled material from existing objects or repurposing those existing objects for other functions. I am focusing on the latter of these methods because I want to challenge user's perceptions of first-use and second-use functional objects.

I believe if I am able to alter an object in such a way that it is unrecognisable to the user, then none of the previous associations of that object are seen either and the object is not tarnished with the potentially negative connotation of "trash".

So, which object, which process, and which function should I choose?

Materials used in a different way

Tejo Remy & René Veenhuizen have produced a chair that appears to be inflatable, but is actually cast from concrete. The Dutch designers have disguised a material associated with construction by forming it to look like something some individuals would have in their home, or are at least familiar with (inflatable furniture).


The objects are both visually appealing and a good example of how a designer can add value to a material by applying it to another situation.

Where's my chair?

Another piece of work by Max Lamb, the Pewter Stool is a great example of Lamb's hands-on approach towards design. Lamb used traditional sand casting methods to cast the pewter in the shape of the stool on a beach in Cornwall where he used to play as a child.


Lamb first melted several pewter ingots on a portable gas stove. After etching the design into the damp sand and then using a pole to to make a hole for the legs, he poured the molten pewter into the mould.


After leaving the pewter to cool and harden, the stool is excavated and cleaned off in the sea. Apart from sourcing the pewter before hand and bringing it to the beach, Lamb has successfully created a stool using the advantages of the conditions at the beach. He has not gone to the workshop after and refined the piece, instead left its aesthetic rough and something that look like it has been formed at the beach.