Product design for sustainability: integrated scales of design and production

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2007
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Abstract
This thesis presented here introduces outcomes of a design research project and provides new insights into an integrated concept for sustainable product design. This project focuses on re-integrating 'localization' in product design, production, use and post-use in order to better address sustainable principles (i.e. environmental, sociocultural and economic). The original concept developed in this research has been termed 'Integrated Scales of Design and Production for Sustainability' (ISDPS). The approach reappraises current norms of product production and disposal by offering new 'integrated thinking' across the lifespan of contemporary products. This concept proposes integrating mass-production of certain product components with local parts production, locally appropriate design and research, and local services for product repair, reuse and recovery to better address a variety of sustainable criteria. An overview of the concept is given, together with primary research findings from product examples in the furniture and lighting sectors (at the mass-, batch and craft production scales). The research includes interviews with designers, manufacturers and environmental specialists, and key aspects of the design and production processes are highlighted, such as material selection, production processes, and connectivity with end users, local suppliers and/or manufacturers. Several 'product case pairs ' are examined that include: Furniture: mass-produced panel design for a modular office system and craft produced entrance table; Furniture and Lighting: batch produced industrial design ceramic lamp and chair, and locally produced craft lamp and chair; Furniture: further examination of design and production of four small-scale furniture design companies. The study has a design-based research component and so it includes design explorations and propositions in furniture and lighting that enable local producers at the batch-production scale to create products, to contribute to material culture, and to express local tastes and cultural preferences (i.e. ephemeral, adaptable, integrated design). These exploratory designs lead to further conclusions, and provide design insights into new product categories that are currently predominantly designed, produced and distributed at the mass-production scale (e.g. small household appliances, electronics, etc.). The conclusions from this research provide a substantial basis to better understand and define the feasibility and potential of 'design for sustainability' and the potential contribution of the "ISDPS" concept.
Description
Bibliography: p. 229-239
Some pages are in colour.
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Citation
Dogan, C. (2007). Product design for sustainability: integrated scales of design and production (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/1280
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