Toward the Final Design Concept LOOP

Figure A: The design team hosted a charette event that allowed the team
to explore a number of concepts and ideas related to the challenge at hand.
Participants were invited from outside the design team in order
to add fresh perspectives to the emerging concepts. Authors' image.

Figure B: The team attended an interdisciplinary critique in order to gather

feedback about the evolving concept emulating biological strategies to
break down food waste and upcyling it into useable material. Authors'
image.

Figure C: Based on the feedback gained during the interdisciplinary critique,

the design team further refined the emerging prototype to function on three
levels: form, process, and system. Waste would be processed by community
members in devices that emulated various functions in nature (breaking down
food, separating elements, grinding substances to powder). The processed
material would then be used as filament in a specialized 3D printer for the
production of objects (as desired by market visitors). Authors' image.

Figure D: The team developed product ideas that could also be customdesigned on location. Authors' image.

Figure E: By envisioning the product concept within the overall context of the
open air markets in the Provence, France, the design team finalized the design
as a system that exists within and contributes to the local ecosystem. Authors'
image.
Additional Slide 1

Figure F, top left: Depicting the materials to work with during the design charette. The design team invited a
number of outside participants to join in a day-long collaborative design event in order to ideate potential
concepts to address the design challenge. Authors image.
Figure G, middle left: Designers review the design challenge criteria and introduce the guest
designers to the Biomimicry Lifes Principles that were to guide the emerging design. Authors
image.
Figure H, bottom left: Designers work in small sub-teams, developing their concepts to address the
challenge at hand. Authors image.
Figure I, top right: Each sub-team builds a prototype of their concept using the materials provided
at the beginning of the charette. Authors image.
Additional Slide 2

Figure J, top: The team presents the concept developed during the design
charette at an interdisciplinary critique. Authors' image.
Figure K, bottom left: Early sketches based on feedback received during
the interdisciplinary critique. Authors' illustration.
Figure L, bottom right: The team reframes the concept based on the feedback received during the critique. The team considers using food waste as a
building material. Authors' illustration.
Additional Slide 3

Figure M, top: Concept for a Pupcycle that would be available to

children in the marketplace. The pupcycles internal mechanics would
emulate the hyenas jaw to break down waste bones. Authors' illustration.
Figure N, bottom left: Wind powered playgrounds in the marketplace
would separate bones from meat waste using mechanics inspired by the
mackerel sharks digestive system. Authors' illustration.
Figure O, bottom right: Shark-themed paddleboats are available in
markets with nearby bodies of water and emulate biological strategies in
order to break down food waste. Authors' illustration.
Additional Slide 4

Figure P, top: Concepts for potential products that could be 3D printed

using the bone-based bioplastic. A series of wine stoppers could come
with educational materials about the local ecosystem. Authors' illustration.
Figure Q, bottom left: Additional concepts. Authors' illustration.
Figure R, bottom right: A concept for the 3D printing system that
would use the bioplastic to print custom products. Authors' illustration.
Additional Slide 5

Loop System Diagram

6
Market vendors are investors
in the 3D printing stall,
effectively converting their
waste into value.

Meat and fish waste produced by

market vendors is collected.

2
Any discarded products safely
biodegrade and cycle nutrients
back into the ecosystem.

5
At the market, at a vendor stall,
3D objects are printed in a
specialized 3D printer with the
bio-degradable 3D printing
filament generated by the local
food waste.

Figure S: Loop System Diagram. Authors' illustration.

Through a series of devices the

organic waste is separated into
meat and bones, and the bones are
ground into bone dust to be used
in the next step. The devices are
operated mechanically and by wind
power when wind is available. The
emulation from natures genius
concerns the process of food being
broken down by enzymes in the
sharks stomach, and by the action
of the hyenas jaw crushing bones.

Emulating the building strategies of the

paper wasp (mixing saliva with fibers),
the bone dust is converted into biodegradable material suitable for use
in a 3D printer by mixing bone dust
with bio-plastic material.

Additional Slide 6