REPURPOSED
Reusing and Recycling Materials
The objective of this project is to prove that many things could be produced out of extreme waste, as well as see the reasons behind why do people throw away too much and what do they throw. Here, the focus was on wood furniture, plastic bags, and natural fibres waste, and in order to reach something out of that; one had to know more about the 3 materials; their properties, uses, how they could be reused or recycled. A research plan was set in order to gather information through secondary data and primary data. It involved experimental, ethnographic, and field researches. Accordingly, a composite material was produced out of plastic bags and natural fibres waste, which could be used to restore the wood furniture waste. So, this will benefit the whole society, as making something out of materials that otherwise will be thrown away and accumulated in the world rubbish bin will for sure help in making a much better environment.
Plastic bags waste are collected from houses, natural fibres waste are collected from upholstery men, and thrown away furniture pieces are collected from carpenters and “Rubabikeya*" men. Then, collected plastic bags and natural fibres waste should be cut into small pieces, and measured. After plenty of trials and errors, a certain percentage of each material was used; first they are mixed, then pressed in a mould.
At the end, thrown away and broken furniture pieces could be restored by using the produced composite material.
* “Rubabikeya men, روبابيكيا”, are the ones who passes by people houses in order to buy stuff that those people no longer want.They are found with donkey carts in the streets and a mega phone to amplify their voices, in order to inform people by their existence.
The above picture shows the kind of waste material used in order to produce the composite material, which is here produced in a form of a tile.
The produced tiles could be sanded and cut into different shapes.
Properties of Composite Material
- Turned to be rigid and of high strength.
- Water resistant.
- Anti scratched.
- Safely resist heat till 150°C.
- Light in weight.
- Tensile Test: 12.79 N/mm².
For further development, the produced composite material could later be shredded into pellets and injected into any mould using the injection moulding machine.
As well as it could be later used to create from it wall plug safety covers, cell phones and laptops covers, and even furniture pieces that are made totally out of the composite material.
Renders
A table was found with a top that had broken parts in it, a missing leg, and a trimmed part at one of its edges. In order to restore it without using any raw materials, these broken parts at its top were replaced by the tiles [shaped according to the size of the hole], and turned it to a centred 3 legged table to solve the problem of the missing leg.
Renders
Renders
Renders
Aesthetic Function
Shape of the table is asymmetric.
Tiles used on the top of the table is created out of a composite material that is made out of a mixture of waste. The tiles were pressed in a squared mould, and the 2 triangular ones were cut manually.
Dark shades of polishing the wood was intended in order to cover any scratch- es.
The trimmed side was also intended, as the table was found with a broken cor- ner, so it was trimmed in a proper way, instead of placing a raw piece of wood.
Table is with 3 legs, because there was a leg missing when bought, and there was no need to add a new leg, instead the 3 remaining legs were centred, making the table extremely stable.
Practical Function
To place on it small objects. It could be used as an interior side table in houses.
Symbolic Function
Table has tiled parts on its top, in order to place on it water glasses or mugs instead of putting a coaster.
The produced tile acted here as a marble tile for a table, but was even better, because it was lighter in weight and at the same time it fit the use. A side corner table needs to be light, to make it easier for the user to carry it and move it from one place to the other.
