Generating Public Value from Waste: Upcycling & Collective Design

Role: Workshop Lead & Mentor

Client / Partner: İBB Park Bahçeler ve Yeşil Alanlar Dairesi & İPA

Duration: 8 Days (June 2022)

Focus: Upcycling, Urban Furniture, Collective Design, Rapid Prototyping

Unlocking the Potential of Waste

The core challenge of this workshop was to transform assorted and irregular waste materials from the 'Küçükçekmece Transformation Workshop' into functional, aesthetic, and high-performance urban furniture for public spaces. Working with 16 designers, we aimed to push the boundaries of raw materials under tight deadlines—turning random scraps of metal and wood into durable solutions built with a mass-production mindset.

Mentorship Notes

I acted as a bridge between creative vision and manufacturability, guiding students to embrace material constraints as drivers for innovation. By shifting the focus from "perfect materials" to the potential of raw imperfections, we turned scrap textures and irregular joints into unique design features. During the final intensive fabrication phase, we translated paper concepts into physical reality, refining structural integrity and ergonomics in real-time.

From Waste to Public Value

The workshop culminated in four distinct units—an exhibition module, a shaded resting area, a folding seating unit, and a planter-integrated table—which were deployed as active social interaction points within the IPA Campus. This project proved that upcycling is not just a theoretical concept, but a practical method that adds tangible value to public spaces through rapid, collective production. For me, this experience served as a vital reference in managing large-scale group dynamics and achieving high-quality outputs with limited resources.

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