Output details
34 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
Falmouth University
DropStops
The millions of metal bus shelters installed worldwide expend finite resources in their short lifespans. DropStop shelters are built in modified wood (a renewable resource) to have a 50-year lifespan (up to 5 times greater than metal shelters). Enhanced longevity and carbon sequestration result in a low carbon design. DropStops demonstrate the latest critical thinking on material Upcycling (McDonough. W., Braungart. M. and Clinton. B., The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability-Designing for Abundance. New York. North Point Press, 2013). DropStop’s intellectual coherence has realised a legally compliant and market competitive sustainable design product in its full complexity.
The project is contracted within a 4-year Cornwall Council Framework Agreement to a value of £1.5 million.
1. ‘Upcycle’ theory reified as zero/low carbon street furniture.
2. Practice-based design research leading to a unique modular system of digitally manufactured components, which can be Upcycled to challenge conventional shelter lifespan/installations.
Innovations: modular components enable 4-person shelters through to larger transit hubs to be built via digital manufacturing; all components’ >50 year service-life (excepting electronics); the shelter installation period is reduced from 2 days to 12 minutes, saving resources, cost and time; raft foundation enables the easy relocation of shelters; a novel mechanical jointing system applied from another sector enables the efficient assembly of bespoke designs; DropStop Pattern Book (in draft) aids local communities to embed bespoke images into the structure; DropStops publicises the ‘Upcycle’ by demonstrating the concept under communities’ scrutiny.
Double weighting is based on: design difficulty; beneficial public/societal/environmental impact; demand (10 shelters installed, 50 ordered thus far, 180 orders forecasted for coming 4 years); and the management of stakeholders (county councillors; public consultations; DDA compliance; structural engineering; numerous company suppliers and partners).
