The aim of the course is to sensitize design students to the possibilities of raw material-centric approaches.
Restorative raw material-centric design, which forms the basis of the course’s approach, is based on DLA research by Apol Temesi. The doctoral dissertation explores the aspects and possibilities of taking responsibility for design by actively shaping sustainable object culture and supporting sensitive cooperation with nature. The design process, which begins with the conscious selection of the raw material, can contribute to the perception of industrial residues as raw materials, thereby recycling them to achieve full circularity. In addition, it can contribute to the replacement of non-degradable materials by exploring its as yet unknown or forgotten natural renewable raw material sources. At the same time, it can eliminate the natural damage caused by non-degradable plastics.
The methodology for integrating design behavior into education with the values of the environment in mind has been formulated through an analysis of international publications over the past 10 years. The study of this was also part of Apol’s research, which was published in the 2022 issue of Disegno.
The methodology is based on research conducted by Elvin Karana, a professor at TU University in Delft, and Valentina Rognoli, a professor at Milano di Politecnico. Raw material-centric approaches, with the introduction of DIY tools and the use of sensory atlases, make it possible to integrate the introduction of the new approach into the design education of designers.
The students in the course are selected from students in the fields of glass, ceramics, metal, textiles and design, who delve into the complexity of material development viewers step by step during the semester by exploring an environmental problem and selecting a raw material. Students keep a research report on the analysis and exploration of the problem, the physical and chemical examination of the raw material, and the steps of the experiment of material association. This systematic, analytical approach connects design and scientific perspectives through an agile methodology for the development of DIY materials.
In the course of the research, we support our students in deepening in the related fields of science, as well as in cooperating with partner universities that support material development, in which BME and University of Pannonia are currently our professional partners.
The raw materials research course was first announced in the fall semester of 2021. The success of this laid the foundation for the continuation of the course, which we conducted in the spring semester of 2022.
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Regenerated Material
/industrial waste, manufacturing waste/
Focusing on the intrinsic value of the raw material, it is possible to develop materials where materials that are a burden to the environment can be revived. The inclusion of these materials in the design process typically starts with the DIY methodology, but at the same time they also carry the possibility of returning them to the industrial cycle.
Zsuzsanna Deák
RECYCLING OF FLOAT GLASS AND GLASS SLUDGE
“In my work, I examined the recyclability and lower energy requirements of architectural float glass waste and glass sludge, which affects thousands and hundreds of tons of raw materials every year.
I processed the raw materials at different temperatures and added additives. This process can be used in industrial conditions and the product can be reintroduced to the manufacturing cycle. The process is suitable for the production of glass tiles, glass bricks, and architectural glass. In addition, after grinding and melting, the glass slush became suitable to produce thermal insulation materials. The measurements of the material experiments were carried out in cooperation with University of Pannonia in Veszprém.”
Rebeka Csiby-Gindele
WASTE FROM CUT FLOWERS
“The problematic waste I have chosen is green waste from cut flowers produced by the flower industry. I researched their secondary uses, as they are often thrown away before they are used, despite the fact that the conditions of their cultivation and their transportation have a huge ecological footprint.
The purpose of the material experiment was to create a material that can be returned to the horticultural industry as packaging and storage material. I divided the material into three parts - flower, stem, leaf - and used them by themselves, mixed them with different additives and manipulated them with different procedures. Regarding additives, I experimented with increasing the starch and cellulose content of the material.”
Flora Lukovics
DRYER LINT
“The material I examined was the natural fibres that are accumulated in industrial dryers called dryer lint, and I also investigated how to recycle it, but this is currently unsolved. The removal of dryer lint from the drier is necessary because its presence can damage the machine.
During various experiments, I explored the properties of the material, I searched for the answer to how this material can be manipulated with the basic functions and positive properties in mind.”
Berta Ujváry
DRYER LINT
“In my work, I experimented with the technique of paper immersion, during which I investigated the applicability of microfibres collected in the laundry as raw material through material combinations. I associated microfibers with various plant fibres and yarn waste which is a left-over product of textile production. The goal was to find the most suitable combination of materials, where only the cellulose found in the raw materials used holds the paper together, without the use of added adhesives.”
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Interaction
/metal, glass, clay/
When materials are combined, their properties can change as a result of chemical and physical processes. In the process of interacting with each other, changes in material structure and surface reactions, special effects may occur. During these processes, the observation of new reactions that can be experimented with, and then their successful application, makes the materials suitable for introduction in new areas. The inspiration for material associations typically unfolds from the inclusion of neglected, residual materials.
Sarolt Sógor
APPLICATION OF MOKUME WITH NON-PRECIOUS METALS
“My main goal during the course was to find ways to bond base metals together. My main goal was to look for ways in which non-precious metals can be joint together. I tried the traditional Japanese mokume-gane technique, soldering and mechanical joining. After the initial eliminatory experiments, I chose alpacca and copper to work with. They are similar enough in composition to fuse without solder, but also suitably different in physical behaviour to be fascinating test subjects. I also observed the behaviour of these joint materials by forming them into bowl-like shapes.”
Melinda Doktor
GLASS AND METAL MIXTURES
“Mixing glass with metals is difficult in some cases due to their coefficient of thermal expansion and different chemical and physical properties, and usually produces an uncertain result. My goal is to set up an experimental material palette which presents materials including aluminium, iron, manganese, and brass glass. After preparing the palette I conducted experiments to examine the mixing ratios of glass and potter’s clay.”
Ingrid Válint & Antal Zilahi
SYNERGY OF THE GLASS AND METALS
“We were curious to know how to mix metals with glass, because during our studies we never got a proper answer to the question of how to use these two materials. Our aim was to create a new metal-glass effect that was aesthetic, exciting and innovative. We want these materials to be able to live together for the long term.”
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Degradable Composites
/trigger raw material use, development of degradable composite/
One of the objectives of raw material-based design can be defined as experimenting with degradable composites, with the use of which one of the non-degradable materials can be replaced. By using alternative raw materials, they become compostable at the end of their life cycle, so they leave no environmental burden behind. The search for raw materials typically starts with assessing the possibilities of local material use, such as attempts to recycle agricultural waste.
Martina Kovács
DECOMPOSING CLAY
“The field of research I have chosen is the study of decomposing clay. I chose two types of clay that differ greatly in their lime content. In my experiments, I observed the decomposition properties of the Kishajmás potter’s clay and the 254 kreaton mass in its plastic, dry state, and when fired at different temperatures. I tried to break down these states of the clay in different ways, such as in acidic and alkaline environments, i.e., in carbonic acid, vinegared earth, as well as in cold and warm water. Later, I mixed different organic materials - poppies, cornmeal, coffee grounds - into the mass, with which I changed the structure of the clay.
The challenge for me is to recognize the possibilities and exact time of clay decomposition.”
Roberta Wende
SUNFLOWER SEED
“I worked with a plant-based material with a high cellulose content, which is a by-product of the food industry and it does not have a new life stage. For most of the experiments I used sunflower seed husks. For me, the most important was to create an alternative for these materials for interior use, so I tried to create materials that are resistant to physical impacts.”
Vanda Kaviczki
HEMP-BIOPLASTIC
“Examining the cause of the high level of waste generation in the footwear industry, the disassembly after wear and the degradability of shoe soles were highlighted for me as a design task. To replace non-degradable (EVA) soles, I set myself the goal of experimenting with a degradable alternative that uses and develops renewable raw materials.
In my experiments, I used hemp stalks as a base, associating this with a mixture of biodegradable plastics. I did my work with the help of the Department of Polytechnic, BME. The goal of material development is to achieve a flexible, abrasion-resistant, high-tensile, and durable material using material association and foaming. The results of the experiments have opened up forward-looking and exciting opportunities in the development of degradable alternative shoe soles.”
Dóra Szilágyi
MYCELIUM BASED COMPOSITES
“In my experiments, I investigated the possibilities of producing a mycelium-based biocomposite raw material. The properties of the surfaces grown with fungal yarns created on different media were analysed through small series. Experimenting with sustainable and biodegradable materials as an object creator, which provides an opportunity to explore alternatives. Mycelium, as a raw material, is an emerging raw material that can be used to revitalize agricultural waste.”
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Alternative glaze and clay effects
/rocks, fruit seeds, pigment hack, transparency/
In recent years, the review of pigments used in industry has emerged as a design challenge. The resulting professional discourse covers the mapping of alternative sources of colouring materials and the reinterpretation of the aesthetics of the use of colour. Mapping visual effects and alternative pigments is an emerging area in the field of raw material-centric design.
Anna Budaházy
PIGMENT HACK
“My aim is to create a series of tests using one glaze and to test how the glaze is affected by changing the ratios of its ingredients. By the end of the series one can look at the test results and see how each ingredient changed the effect, surface and texture of the base glaze and by this it might be easier for a student to understand and learn the effect of the ingredients we use in mixing ceramic glazes.”
Lea Szolnoki
ASH GLAZE
“In my experiment, I set myself the goal of producing an ash glaze that can be produced from stone fruit seeds and nut shells.
My point of view is that the materials should be by-products of factory work processes or organic materials that are not composted.”
Dorottya Vértessy
MINING WASTE
“My research is primarily driven by curiosity, I am interested in whether the conditions for glaze formation are met by using a glaze raw material that is not a purified, sterile, storebought powder, but one that I have collected and processed, impurified rocks. Using contaminated raw material instead of purified material in ceramic glazes has produced spectacular results. Each of the materials collected from different locations produced different results. Without exception, the glazes produced a continuous layer of on the surface of the clay sample.”
József Kovács
TRANSPARENCY
“My goal is to create a ceramic material that can be used well in 3D printers and to increase its transparency after firing.”
