DESIGN-LED CIRCULARITY FOR FURNITURE MANUFACTURING. AN APPLICATION ON MONTESSORI KINDERGARTEN

The increasing demand for sustainable production systems necessitates a reassessment of product design and lifecycle assessment methods, emphasizing socio-technical aspects. This contribution reflects on the results of a laboratory that addressed the needs to widen and identify possible new market areas for circular materials characterised by a marginal diversification of products in the furniture design industry. By collaborating with a local preschool to understand the pedagogical requirements and implications of design, and by creating synergies with recovered material suppliers, the Research investigates the potential of design to function as a mediating force between the inherent limitations of material solutions and their application context. The laboratory leverages technologically innovative recycled materials applied in the kindergarten furniture context, resulting in thought-provoking design proposals for identifying and developing viable design-led furniture production opportunities. Through a combination of design-led material assessment, user-centred approach and iterative experimentation, the Research seeks to provide insights into sustainable design approaches that align with environmental and pedagogical objectives while contributing to the advancement of sustainable design practices. The outcome of this experience is a strategic framework proposal, structured according to the laboratory experimentations, that aims to enhance design methods and process development, focusing on resource-efficient offerings. Ultimately, the Research hopes to contribute to transforming challenges associated with material constraints into opportunities for innovation and sustainable application through design.