Upcycling challenge

Sourced from: http://www.unclebobs.com/getstorganized/index.php/the-art-of-upcycling/.

This week I have been busily thinking about what I can do for Assessment 1 - my design challenge.  I have thought along many different lines including cooking, weaving and musical challenges however my eyes were opened last and this week at my work in After School Care where we had been planning for and discussing sustainability and the effects of human activity on our natural environment with the students. We completed many activities in relation to this and they were largely based around the concept of recycling our waste and ways we can re-use it.  This is where we explored the topic of upcycling.  Now I always knew that it existed and of simple things you could do such as using jam jars and turning them into pot plants however my eyes have been opened since researching this topic and there is no limit to the possibilities of upcycling!

 

 




 

Sourced from: http://www.danlikesthis.info/tag/upcycling/.

 

 Bath tub garden:

Taking an old bath tub which is not being used and decorating it with glass mosaic and adding soil and plants to turn it into an outdoor garden bed.

Sourced from: http://www.skinnerinc.com/news/blog/upcycle-antiques-mid-century-design-auctions/.

 

Suitcase cupboard:

 Re-using an old suitcase as a bedroom wall cupboard by adding light fixtures, drawers and hooks for hanging.

Sourced from: http://www.davison.com/creators/2009/03/13/luxurious-luggage/.

 Tea lights:


Using teacups and sauces which are strung together and hung upside down with electrical fitting to be turned into hanging lamps and lights.

Sourced from: https://www.greenmoxie.com/gorgeous-diy-upcycled-teacup-lights/.









Cork armchair: made using old corks from wine bottles and sticking them altogether to form a large, sturdy armchair.

Sourced from: https://www.pinterest.com/bignyc/chair-mania/.










As you can imagine researching these ideas had my head spinning with design challenge options for children however it was important that I did not create the challenge to be too much for the age group I decide to plan for.  Over the last week at After School Care I put some ideas to the test by asking children to upcyle recyclable goods into pot plants.  They used old tin cans and decorated and painted them and they also used old milk cartons and cut them to size (see photos below). Although these pots and plants looked wonderful and the children had a great time creating them I decided that over the next week I must brainstorm further to see what creative potential these children have to design more upcycled products.

Furthermore, upcycling also has environmental benefits in that things that would usually be wasted can be re-used and re-designed for another purpose thus saving our environment. I feel that this is an important discussion to be had with children as they are after all going to be our future generations and how we teach them to treat the planet will impact the future they have in our environment.  Therefore I have decided that my design challenge will be an upcycling one.