Smruti Patel

Hello,

My name is Smruti Patel and I am pursuing Master’s in Interior Design from UCA, Canterbury. My interests lie in sustainable design, principles of circular economy and material research. I was inspired to take up the topic of Material Research as my final project from one of my undergraduate projects. The sustainability project involved exploring different waste materials, understanding their characteristics and applying them for use in interior spaces. My Final Realisation project is an extension into the investigation of various waste materials and how they can be put to optimum use.

In the contemporary pursuit of technological advancement, fast fashion, and social media prominence, there is an escalating demand for the best of everything. This relentless quest often leads to the overutilization and wastage of natural resources, culminating in significant landfill deposits and increased CO2 emissions. Recognizing this environmental challenge, the design and interior industry has been progressively shifting towards sustainable practices. This thesis project aims to contribute to the sustainability movement by exploring the optimal utilization of waste materials in interior design. The research delves into the principles of the Circular Economy, investigating how material waste can be repurposed effectively. It focuses on the abundant availability and properties of waste materials, aiming to create new materials that can be recycled multiple times until they are fully degraded. The project specifically targets the creation of new materials from waste paper and sawdust. In the UK, paper waste constitutes approximately 20% of the total waste, translating to around 5 million tonnes annually ending up in landfills. Paper, which can be easily crushed and recycled, and sawdust, a by-product of wood-working processes, both contribute to pollution when improperly discarded. By combining paper mache, sawdust, and acacia gum—a natural bio-binder—this project proposes a novel material suitable for practical applications in interior spaces, such as walls, ceilings, and countertops. The secondary aim of this project is to generate awareness about Sapyrus through a pavilion among the public, architects and designers. A pavilion helps reach out to a larger audience and will be moving in different exhibitions promoting the use of Sapyrus.