Furniture and Interior Design in the Context of Environmental Sustainability; The Use of Recycled Plastic Waste with Robotic 3D Printing Methods

Abstract

Although the origins of sustainability are very old, the word itself has been conceptualized since the second half of the 20th century; the importance of environmental protection, efficient use of natural resources and meeting the needs of society regardless of generational differences has been frequently emphasized in literature studies. The use of plastics has increased in many areas from the packaging sector to the construction sector with population growth, which has led to environmental pollution and solid waste management problems. The widespread use of plastic in the construction sector has made it necessary to find the right material selection and ways to utilize the existing waste in interior architecture activities. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential impact on the environment of the outputs of recycled plastic in interior design, mainly furniture, by robotic 3D printing method. The research questions seek answers to the environmental sustainability-oriented designs of product outputs in raw material use, production, distribution-use and reuse processes. The designs created by four different offices that investigate the use of waste plastic in interior architecture with interdisciplinary cooperation by strengthening the relationship between technology and art were selected as the material of the research. Based on the qualitative research method, the study evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of these outputs through SWOT analysis, and the opportunities and threats they present in the context of ecological sustainability. The findings show that the strengths are functionality, use of local raw materials, lightweight construction with low material losses and sustainability. Weaknesses, on the other hand, were found to be problems in easy stocking -not valid for all materials-, the presence of possible defects in production, and slow production due to the layered production process. However, the defects reflected in the final product are considered to offer an opportunity to create productions with originality value. Common threats were found to be software-hardware inconsistencies and mechanical failures. In this direction, it is concluded that recycling waste plastic without spatial limitations in the production process and using it effectively with robotic 3D printing method will play an important role in eliminating environmental problems. This approach is thought to have the potential to effectively produce lightweight, aesthetic, functional and sustainable solutions. As a result, it has been observed that the recycling of plastic and its inclusion in furniture and interior production by 3D printing method supports environmental sustainability.