◇ Temporary exhibitions typically require bespoke display elements specific to the exhibition design. Due to this specificity, these structures are frequently single use - often discarded at the end of a show as waste, where they will be sent to landfill or incineration. A common material used in their construction is manufactured board (such as MDF), which emits hazardous chemicals into the surrounding environment.

◆ How can we make exhibition practice more responsible and sustainable?

◇ Our approach was to research ideas of reusability and how designing for circular economic principles manifest. Our aim was for the design artefacts to act as a concept of how we might encounter a post-waste future, where waste isn’t an option and to create a visual narrative of how that might look and function - and in doing so, designing out waste.

◇ Our ambition was to create a reusable system that could be utilised in different spatial situations and exhibition environments; that could be easily disassembled after a show and reassembled in another context.

◇ We started by deconstructing and reframing the traditional display plinth, thinking about it cut into sections; as planks of material that could be reassembled along their edges into various configurations.

◇ This led to a modular system consisting of panels of a fixed width with varying lengths determined by simple multiples, which allows the size of the plinths to be scaled using any combination of the panels. After use, the plinth can be taken apart and efficiently stored or transported in a flat-pack form, before being reused.

◇ To maximise future utilisation, the panels are also designed for repurposing into something else, for example a planter or a bookcase (see below).

◇ An important consideration was that the design was simple to assemble and disassemble, therefore minimising future barriers in the reuse of the panels. The perforations act as registration points at which the panels are joined, revealing the method of construction and making it a visually intuitive assembly process.

◇ We wanted to celebrate fasteners as an important aspect of the ease of reuse and repair and how universal off-the-shelf components utilise standardised tools for (dis)assembly - in this case socket head screws that require the ubiquitous Allen key. The half-round washers drew from the kitchen worktop connector, used to connect sheet material along its edge.

◇ The panels consist of a singular material in order to reduce the complexity of the recycling process. Also, the plinths had to perform structurally as well as or better than their single-use counterparts whilst being manoeuvrable. We selected aluminium as a potential material for its high strength to weight ratio, durability and that it can be recycled indefinitely.

◇ The distribution of the design means that a product can be manufactured locally to its point of use, rather than shipping physical components. To facilitate distributed manufacturing, it was important to choose commonly available manufacturing processes that don’t require bespoke tooling. Digital manufacturing is particularly suited as files can be shared online, dowloaded and CNC cut or 3d printed with minimal labour and therefore costs, making it more accessible.

◇ Our intention is for this project to act as a prototype to be iterated upon and developed by others who might benefit from this concept - such as other exhibition designers for gallery institutions and organisations. We believe that by sharing design, we can accelerate innovation towards a better future for people and planet.