Open Bridge—
GOODS FOR FREESocial Design, 2015
Open Bridge won the first “iF Public Value Student Award” in 2016.
Concept
This project is about changing our behavior towards the lifecycle of consumer products. Many items aren’t used anymore or even thrown away. Offering them to the community does not only mean helping people in need but also keeping our relationships towards resources and our environment in mind.
The prototypes were designed and tested in co-creation with “The Binners’ Project.” By recognizing the dumpster divers’ actions as meaningful work for society, their processes inspired more humane and accessible solutions.
Meet Michael Leland
A local binner (aka “waste picker”) in the downtown eastside of Vancouver. He shares his past, how he became a binner, and the challenges he must face daily. Eventually, we discover his involvement in the Binners’ Project, a group of waste-pickers dedicated to improving their economic opportunities, and reducing the stigma they face as informal recyclable collectors.
Credits
A collaboration with Robin Weidner at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in synergy with ”The Binners' Project” at the University of British Columbia’s Learning Exchange program.
