Modern life is filled with well-designed things, produced in such as way as to give pleasure or make a hectic lifestyle seem that much easier to manage.
Singh Intrachooto, an assistant professor of architecture at Kasetsart University, believes that design objectives shouldn’t just be about making things aesthetically pleasing, but must also work towards saving the environment.
“In future, designers should employ skills and make considerations that prioritize preservation of the natural environment,” says Singh, one of just a handful of lecturers dedicated towards developing a sense of environmental responsibility among students.
For the past three years, Singh has been carrying out research that helps transform waste products into useful, usable items, such as furniture or parts used in the construction of a building or other structure.
Singh’s initiative stems from the fact that a large amount of materials, including wood shavings and other sawdust-like matter, are generated during production that would normally be considered waste materials by designers and those involved in the production process. Other similar forms of reusable waste can be found in factories making things with paper, leather, and plastic as raw materials.
Since beginning his research, Singh has also been designing chairs and tables by using factories’ waste materials. Examples of his early designs, which sell under the Osisu brand name, utilize sawdust or other waste wood particles, which are processed naturally into a solid material using water-based glue.
“There are plenty of potential customers out there in the market, but you have to find the right target. My customers are educated people who care about protecting the environment,” he said.
Orders for Singh’s furniture have come from near and far, including India, Japan, Singapore, and the US. Some of the buyers are also collectors.
While the furniture is not mass produced due to a shortage of skilled workers, Singh hopes to be able to do so in order to maximize the potential for recycling waste produced by the factories.
Singh recently launched a new construction material called ‘Scarpa’, which can now be mass produced.
Scarpa is basically polymer-based panels that can be used to produce table tops, cabinets, or utilized as parts within the construction of a building. Scarpa is made from recycled plastic thermosetting pads, which include holes since they were originally used in the production of buttons. |
|
Singh says Scarpa, along with other examples of his work, have been produced to demonstrate to students and the wider public that material often considered to be ‘waste’ is far from being that, and can be used again to produce other unrelated yet useful items.
Singh believes designers have an important role in saving the environment, as well as promoting a clearer understanding of how to utilize natural resources effectively and to get the best ‘value’ out of their usage.
He said it’s important to highlight the design aspect so that the public develop a positive perception about products made from recycled materials.
“We need to impress people through our use of design, particularly by using ‘high-end’ design, so people will feel good about using products made from recycled materials,” Singh said.
In future, designers must first consider: selecting raw materials that use fewer natural resources; the potential for minimizing waste during the production process; and researching waste materials in other industries to assess whether or not they can be reused to create a useful new product, he said.
Singh says he will continue with his research and will continue to promote the use of recycled waste materials as he believes design can be used as a medium to promote environmental preservation among people from all walks of life.
|
Life in Thailand 
Life in Thailand
Thai ways of living - be it countryside or city - have their own distinct styles, rhythms and habits. The kingdom, and especially Bangkok, is also home to an interesting variety of locals and expatriates. Learn about the views and lives of local and expatriate communities, in addition to helpful tips for those exploring and living a Life in Thailand.
contact 
sitemap
advertise with us
