When I began thinking about interior product usage, as well
as, household product usage I thought about the types of materials we are
using. One of which, is glass.
Take a second to look around where you are sitting. Do you see a light bulb? A bottle? A window? All products of
glass, but where does the glass go when you’re done with it?
Glass collection points, known as “bottle banks” are very
common, but what happens to the glass when we recycle it? What products are being made, and do
they fall into the down-cycling or up-cycling category? After reading Waste Equals Food, I realized that glass recycling today is mainly
a down-cycling process. The use of
recycled glass typically becomes components of other substances of less value
such as concrete aggregate, countertops, bricks, etc. However, I would like to see it become an up-cycle, as well
as, a “Technical Metabolism” that consists of technical nutrient. In other
words, a material that is worth equal or lesser value.
Usually when you buy a product of technology you have the
knowledge that soon it will be replaced by a better, faster, more advanced
product. However, what if
everything was made of recycled glass? I got this idea when reading Waste Equals Food when they mention the
byproducts of technology. Then
when watching the video, Rhoner Textiles,
I realized we could see glass become a continuous circuit life cycle.
In current devices, we see a surge in the implementation
touch screens. Once I looked into
what it means to be a touch “screen” I saw the following video promoting Corning’s
“Gorilla Glass”.
A Day Made of Glass Video
Currently Corning is on the forefront of developing a world
of glass. However, my idea is
expansive. We need to develop a
product like Gorilla Glass, but the glass would be completely made out of
recycled materials. Using this
concept, the technology glass could be continuously recycled into more
glass. Then one-step further, we
could eliminate the need for other materials to be used by making the glass
devices interchangeable. For
example, if a phone became “obsolete” the entire phone itself would not become
outdated, but instead a single chip inside would need to be replaced. The chip could then be repurposed to
develop new chips for new technological advances. End users would get discounts for recycling unusable or broken
products, but the “unusable” items would easily be recycled.
Hi, Kimberly;
ReplyDeleteThanks for the video! Not sure I like this potential inundation of technology in my life, but I guess it is the way of the future! Are their some implications for your design concept for interiors or apparel?
Dr. Armstrong,
DeleteI realize in the video Corning floods you with potential technological advances that can be made with their product, and that the feeling that comes across is somewhat cold. Since we are prophesying what the world is like in 2050 I think it could be headed in a direction such as this. However, the video only provides a jumping off point, and as an interior designer it is my job to create a warmer/inviting atmosphere for the products. The potential I see in residential and commercial design is limitless, and could change the way that businesses operate. I know that NASA is already trying to integrate the concept of the Gorilla Glass into their interior space shuttle designs, as resources, and more importantly space, is scarce. The video provides several concepts that could be applied in the home, so I would like to target the commercial-corporate design in my answer. Within the corporate world you have to design shared and private spaces. I see the glass replacing traditional "systems furniture". With the ability to be free standing, create privacy, provide the newest technology (without the big budget of replacing computer systems), and more efficient the recycled glass could provide a step forward into the new age for businesses.
After thinking even larger scale I realized I was thinking even too inside the box...other places the glass could be incorporated would be military buildings, healthcare (hospitals, clincis, etc), schools, airports, signage, etc. I think the possibilities are endless, and could be kept outside of your personal living space if you wanted a more traditional setting at home.
DeleteKimberly,
ReplyDeleteYour blog this week was very interesting! I thought the video was a great touch. I couldn't imagine a life with all of my appliances made of glass, but like Dr. Armstrong said, it is a way of the future! I like your idea of turning recycled glass into touchscreens for multiple technological devices. However, this would be something that would take many years to establish. How do you plan on promoting this idea to those in charge of creating the "gorilla glass"? Do you think that people would be in favor of altering their lifestyle in this way in order to help the environment? In "The Technical Metabolism" section of the reading, McDonough and Braungart discuss how disposed automobiles are "crushed, pressed, and processed" in order to smelt the steel together with other materials so that car bodies can be made again. You could do the same thing with the car windows if you wanted to take your idea a little further? Good job this week!
Mallory,
DeleteAs I mentioned to Dr. Armstrong, although the video provides some pretty fascinating concepts it comes across cold. So I would like you to rein-vision the video as less modern and apply more traditional concepts as I feel we can have both. Yes, this is possibly something that could take time to establish, but we are visioneering 2050. Although Corning is already on the front of developing the glass I feel as though it could be marketed to other company's as well. I feel as though if we could find a way to tap into its technical nutrients then we could develop a great product, and manufactures would be more willing to jump onboard. Really people will not be altering their lifestyles in anyway, but rather adapting them. When I think back to my first phone and desk top computer they seem archaic. I feel as though these advances could become seamlessly integrated into life to where the tradition being altered goes unnoticed. Just as it did with email versus snail mail, cell phones versus landlines, stove tops versus open fires. Its just a technological evolution. Thanks for the feedback!
Kimberly,
DeleteI see what you mean and where you are going with this. I agree that if we tap into its technical nutrients more, manufacturers would be willing to take part in this transformation. You make a good point in mentioning the different technological evolutions of our time. It is so strange how so much of what we have used throughout our short lifetimes have changed so drastically! Maybe a world of glass can occur sooner than I thought!
Kimberly,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your article this week. I never really thought about how much we used glass and let it go to waste until reading it. I think recycling glass to make better and more useful things is a great idea. However, I am not sure how I feel about making almost everything out of glass. Do you think this is something the general public would want in their homes? How would you make it comfortable and appealing for homes? Again I think you did a great job this week and I found your article very interesting. I would love to hear about some more of your ideas!
Kellee,
DeleteWell not everything would need to become made of glass, but some components that already exist could be incorporated into technology. In a residential setting you could transform the surfaces the video suggest, like the mirror in the bathroom. However, a large portion of interior designers do not do residential design. Rather they design commercial settings such as hotels, military spaces, schools, office spaces, hospitals, etc. All of which could use the functionality and technology of the glass. Especially in health care, surfaces need to be technologically advanced and sanitary. The class would provide a material that would be just that. Back to your question about making it more "welcoming" in a home setting...the object of being an interior designer is meeting the program requirements of the client. The space shown on the Corning video was very streamlined, modern style. This is not to say clients could not have all the same amenities, but with more traditional materials and finishes surrounding them. Thanks for the feedback!