In a rapidly changing world, industrial design faces the pressing challenge of sustainability amidst growing environmental and economic crises. Given the energy-intensive nature of glass production, rethinking its role in modern design has become essential. This course delves into the complexities of the glass recycling industry, exploring how waste glass can serve as a cornerstone in the transition to sustainable product design practices.

Using waste glass as the primary material, students will examine how circular economy principles can reshape product design by minimizing waste, maximizing resource efficiency, and extending the lifecycle of materials. Through this lens, the course will explore how designers can embrace local, circular solutions that reduce environmental impact while empowering local economies. We will also critically engage with the role of decolonization in design, addressing the deeply entrenched colonial frameworks of production and consumption that shape global industries today.

By the end of the course, students will have developed innovative product designs using recycled glass, reflecting on sustainability, circular economy principles, and the importance of decolonizing design practices.

Elective