Packaging Sewn from RE-Materia Bioplastics by Nela Nykowska, BA (Hons) Product and Industrial Design, Central Saint Martins, UAL

University of the Arts London

UAL Showcase Collections

Remaking the Future

Proposition for the reuse of decommissioned marine oil platforms by attaching 3D printed modular units created from plastic and shell waste where ocean ecosystems can thrive.“Project Archipelago is both practical and poetic. The 3D printed units could be a distributive technology that individuals could adopt and appropriate for many different marine areas that have been industrially affected. This project reminded me of a good book called Islands of Abandonment in which author Cal Flyn talks about places of heavy extraction like nuclear waste or industrial sites that, once abandoned, undergo this process of reclamation by nature, with some becoming places of huge biodiversity.Spaces of harm can be coopted into spaces of flourishing.” – Joycelyn Longdon, founder of Climate in Colour

Project Archipelago

Symbiotic architecture for humans and earthworms in China&#39;s Qaidam Basin, which reverses desertification in the surrounding area.“I liked the speculative nature of Hivemind, which hinged on the symbiotic relationship between humans and the environment and the idea that we can move from being an extractive force on the planet to being a regenerative one. I would love to see more details. The presentation here is focused on the structure, rather than the interior spaces and processes involved. It would be great to learn more about how humans and worms would live together in practice. Architecturally, it’s really exciting.” – Joycelyn Longdon, founder of Climate in Colour

Hivemind

The designer is putting the algae-powered server in Regent's Canal

A network of a regenerative web servers powered by electricity generated by phytoplankton and microalgae in our rivers and canals.“I love the practicality of Phytonet. Even though the project might still be at a speculative stage, this is something that I could see governments or local councils investing in as a way to provide for the infrastructural needs of a town or community. Phytonet also adds an element of play and fun to public space and through this, combined with data visualisation, makes understanding digital carbon footprints more accessible. &quot;It represents a way for the public to get involved in the observation of internet processes and a prototype for what the internet might look like decoupled from fossil fuels by harnessing the waterways that already run through many cities. It really stood out to me as a concept, and I like the low-tech feel of the design. You can imagine this being run as a citizen science project that people can put together themselves. Well researched and well executed.” – Joycelyn Longdon, founder of Climate in Colour

Phytonet - the Internet of water

Using DNA storage to encrypt a library of sound and film all in one seed so that stories are not forgotten. Image by Tom Manion.“My work combines technological solutions with climate justice and CONTINUED is a perfect mix of those two elements. We talk a lot about preservation of knowledge systems, ways of life, food cultures across indigenous communities, and how our disconnection from those are not only part of the reason for the climate crisis, but that keeping those lineages alive is part of the part of the solution. I like how this uses highly technological processes to honour traditional heritage.”  – Joycelyn Longdon, founder of Climate in Colour

CONTINUED

A cyber-physical system that measures energy usage and calculates carbon emissions from digital fashion and offsets them in an algae bioreactor.“I loved every element of the Alginator – the idea, the final work, the video. It’s an excellent example of persuasive design in action, allowing us to see how our usage exceeds the limits of the planet that we live on through physical manifestation. It’s something that would be useful in so many different settings, public and private. The application could be broadened beyond fashion to our digital usage generally, which is currently somewhat hidden. I can imagine the healing nature of being around algae too. An ingenious project.” – Joycelyn Longdon, founder of Climate in Colour

The Alginator

A girl standing with the bum bag after a long run, other photo shows someone picking up litter

A two-part project: RE-Materia DIY Kit empowers consumers to transform household organic peel waste into unique and compostable bioplastic packaging and Mouvick: ABC is a &#39;plogging&#39; (litter picking while jogging) set made of wood-based bioplastic.“I love Revive, Repurpose and Reshape’s ingenious process of creation from waste, and the thoughtful approach to biomaterials. Right now, as a consumer, it&#39;s hard to know whether you&#39;re buying something that&#39;s genuinely biodegradable packaging. There’s a whole spectrum. There is real ingenuity in the way this can be used – sewn or moulded into different shapes. Looking at the images, you get a sense of the process, and that transparency is important. &quot;It’s an organic, functional and beautiful solution. I like how it can be used in the home or outside, giving it commercial viability. With its aesthetically pleasing design quality, it seems like a product that is ready to hit the market. We need to make climate-friendly choices irresistible, and this embodies that.” – Joycelyn Longdon, founder of Climate in Colour

Revive, Repurpose and Reshape

Close up of a pile of multicoloured fabric with a solar panel in the background. 

A a heated blanket that uses solar power to generate electricity. “I love this project. Sometimes the best design concepts are the simplest – in the best possible way.  The climate justice angle is strong in the consideration given to how this could benefit low-income communities. The design of the blanket is great. A really neat project, high impact in its application. I have the sense that a lot of care has gone into People Power. I could imagine this being available to buy as an in-kind donation for those who need it in winter. This project made me happy because it solves a real problem in a very direct way.” – Joycelyn Longdon, founder of Climate in Colour

People Power

A rectangular lamp made from warmly illuminated tiles, standing against a concrete background.

A fully recycled material made from discarded broken fired ceramic and waste coal ash.“Sometimes high-end eco design can seem frivolous, far more about style than function. I’m thinking of super expensive, luxury mushroom leathers, things like that. These obviously represent a move away from harmful materials but without modifying anything else. ReCinder is the opposite of this. Instead of feeling like a novelty, it had depth and substance. I had no idea about the climate impact of ceramics, assuming it was relatively sustainable. The material and the products that you can create with it are amazingly beautiful. Consumers might not even realise the material is 100% recycled, simply buying it for its aesthetic quality. That’s clever.” – Joycelyn Longdon, founder of Climate in Colour

ReCinder

Harnessing the natural power of photosynthesis to produce Biophotonite, a living, breathing, carbon-hungry architectural material. “I enjoyed watching the mineralisation of the material coming together. It&#39;s a beautiful material and a well-researched, well-presented project. A nice intersection between technology and nature, bringing nature back into built environments, and with a scientific backing. I’d love to see further examples and exploration of how the material might be used in practice to demonstrate the use cases for it. I thought it had a nice reflective look that I could imagine as a cladding.” – Joycelyn Longdon, founder of Climate in Colour

Make Like a Leaf: Architecture as Atmosphere

An audiovisual installation that turns a day&#39;s circadian rhythm into a 24-minute experience, turning data from Twitter (now X) into a sonic soundscape inspired by birdsong.“I love Digitropism. I also work with acoustics, so I found the final work and the video really interesting. I liked the play on the idea of Twitter (now X), tweets and birdsong. If this was exhibited, I think it would be interesting not to reveal initially that the sounds are from human data but then follow up with a visualisation to explain the breadth of our digital consumption. I can see so many uses for this, for example an app that shows user’s social media and internet use as digital carbon emissions.” – Joycelyn Longdon, founder of Climate in Colour

Digitropism.

A community project engaging participants in traditions of botanics and foraging through the creation of a tapestry using natural dye and loom weaving. Photograph by Nicole Ngai “I like the focus in Wild-escape on bringing back lost knowledge,  but also the community aspect.  I loved seeing the images of the participants picking different plants, making dyes and using them to colour yarns. For me this is more about the practice than the design, although the textile is incredibly beautiful in itself. There is such a long lineage of tapestry, of crafting, of knitting, crocheting, weaving.  These are practices that are slow and intentional, and traditional and that allow us to be more connected to the natural world. I could imagine communities coming together and creating tapestries to be used in the home or in libraries or as teaching materials.”  – Joycelyn Longdon, founder of Climate in Colour

A Wild-escape: Woven Through Conversations

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