UPCYCLE reimagines the future world of work through circular design, which sees local artists transform discarded office furniture into bespoke art pieces. The exhibition is a collaboration between Sanlam, leading global property advisory company JLL, and its subsidiary interior design firm Tétris Design and Build – a world-class design, build and furniture business. It’s on at Maker’s Landing at the V&A Waterfront from 19-20 April 2024, with every piece of art given a sustainability score.
Post Covid-19 and new hybrid ways of working, over a third of all global office desks are empty all week, according to Bloomberg. What’s not spoken about is that each empty office chair ‘costs’ about 72 kg CO2e in carbon to make. Collectively, office furniture has a major environmental impact, accounting for about 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions. And now, much of it is sitting in storage or piling up in local landfills, as it often costs more to fix than to replace. As most of it is made from petroleum-derived synthetic materials, it quickly becomes one of the planet’s greatest polluters.
Recognising this, JLL and Tétris collaborated with Sanlam to find creative ways to repurpose furniture to be sustainable and future fit. Sarene Nel, MD of Tétris says, “This exhibition celebrates the power of design and creativity to help us reimagine possible solutions. By partnering with leading clients, designers and suppliers we can make positive change. Our goal is to reduce waste and create efficiencies that work for the environment and the community.”
Tétris commissioned big name local African creators – including Patrick Bongoy (shortlisted for the 2024 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize in Paris), Laurie Wiid (Wiid Design), Hoven Design, Ananta Design Studio, and the Tétris Global and South African teams – to craft bespoke repurposed art pieces from Sanlam’s outdated office furniture. The artists were invited to select the office items they wanted to work with, with each artwork scored for its sustainability.
The result is a 2050 workplace wonderland, with crocheted cassette tape fronds hanging from a repurposed-dustbin chandelier, next to a giant Helix Swing with swing seats made from desk legs. An Oxygen Farm Work Pod – ironically crafted from discarded Covid-19 desk dividers – offers a breath of fresh air, close to an upcycled cabinette, with a handy seed library for the preservation of plants. Nearby, a towering tentacled floor lamp rises from 82 bookshelves and 100 blue bins. It’s a veritable playground of possibility.
Karl Socikwa, Group Executive of Market Development and Sustainability at Sanlam, says, “As a group committed to empowering a life of confidence for all, we are passionate about sustainability and building a better future for generations to come. As such, we are extremely mindful of how we discard our outdated office items, and so this collaboration felt like a natural fit. JLL, Tétris and Sanlam have multiple synergies in our shared sustainability goals to reduce waste and emissions. This was an out-the-box, creative way to work with local talent to repurpose furniture to be relevant and resaleable.”
In line with the planet-friendly goals, each artwork received a sustainability ‘score’ aligned with the Tétris Sustainability Code. This advises on how sustainability considerations can be embedded in every stage of a design and build, across eleven essential pillars. Every artwork was evaluated according to factors such as use of materials to minimise impact, design to foster improved air quality and water preservation, inclusion of natural elements and light to promote well-being, as well as innovation.
Socikwa concludes, “We continue to seek new ways to embed sustainability into our business practices and to uplift and empower local artists and the communities we serve. We are exploring a long-term partnership with JLL and Tétris to scale this initiative, by collaborating with local furniture manufacturers in townships to transform discarded office furniture into new, saleable pieces. As ever, our goal is to make a positive impact on society by contributing to a more sustainable and innovative future.”
UPCYCLE is on at Maker’s Landing at the V&A Waterfront from 19-20 April 2024. Entrance is free. There is a guided walkabout with the designers, hosted by Heath Nash from Circular Squared at 11h00 on Saturday 20 April and all interested parties are welcome to attend.
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