RIDE THE WAVE C O N C E P T S PA C E B Y J E N N I F E R N I B B S
Contents 4 Ride The Wave.
The Brief.
6 United By Blue.
Brand Research and Analysis.
8 #TheBlueMovement. The Plastic Problem and Recycled Polyester.
9 Design Visuals.
The User Experience.
18 Prototype.
Recycled Plastic Tile.
Back Wall Perspective: The Ridgeline Collection.
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Ride The Wave THE BRIEF.
RIDE THE WAVE is an immersive concept space promoting United By Blue’s use of sustainable materials and
active
efforts
to
clean
our
oceans. Stepping into an experiential production line, the design invites viewers to walk beneath the plastic wave and understand how disastrous plastic waste is on our oceans - and how they can make a change by shopping responsibly. Visually portraying the steps of making recycled polyester through individual waves, viewers can see how a plastic bottle turns into a United By Blue backpack. reference to the devastation oceans
RIDE THE WAVE would draw in
are facing but with a positive outlook;
passersby and conscious shoppers
you can make a change. Using ocean
alike, gaining new and dedicated
waste and recyclable materials for
customers for United By Blue. For
the entire design, the space shows
an active brand, this powerful and
that with
memorable experience will encourage
into
by
plastic
in-depth waste,
innovation and dedication
disasters can be avoided.
more to make a change, together. Informed
Perspective view from front window.
research
environmental
damage and United By Blue’s active engagement in fighting for a better planet, the design provides visual 4
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Cleaning our oceans.
Responsible durable goods.
United By Blue
United By Blue is an active American company based in Philadelphia, founded in 2010.
CORE BRAND VALUES: • Help to save the oceans of plastic pollution • Measureable positive impact on the environment • Creating durable products from sustainable resourses • Bringing together communities via ocean clean ups • Raising awareness
Above: Untied By Blue Beach Clean Up.
The brand was driven by the idea of associating the sale of each product with a concrete environmental action. United By Blue pride themselves on making responsible, durable goods. They guarantee the products to have the utmost quality of craftsmanship and workmanship for the life of the product. United By Blue set themselves apart by actively “associating the sale of each product with a concrete environmental action” through activities such as beach clean ups, encouraging communties and customers to join in.
“We stopped simply writing cheques and started organsing and hosting clean ups. We wanted to do our part to clean the waterways ourselves.”
So far they have removed 1,121,630lbs of rubbish from the oceans.
For every product sold, United By Blue removes one pound of rubbish from the world’s oceans and waterways.
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#TheBlueMovement
Recycled Polyester
By organising and hosting clean ups, United By Blue are helping customers to make a change, get involved and create a community of like-minded people. Plastic waste in our oceans is an inescapable problem the world is battling with. 8 million tons of plastic enter our oceans every year. And out of that, 1.5 million tons is from plastic bottles. If not correctly recycled, plastic and other waste ultimately makes its way to the ocean from landfills and litter from waterways. This floats to the world’s gyres – circulating ocean currents – which builds to create ginormous layers of rubbish. One such piece has been named The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, where a petition was made to the UN to give it a country status. This patch alone is twice the size of Texas. RIDE THE WAVE puts the issues in the face of the consumer: seeing the plastic problem up front as you walk beneath a plastic wave, this double-faced coin also shows how you can fight the plastic problem and make a change for the better. SHOP RESPONSIBLY. MAKE A CHANGE. RIDE THE WAVE.
United By Blue use recycled polyester as it is an environmentally friendly alternative to petroleum-based traditional polyester. Taking less energy to produce, the material is also made from recycled clear plastic bottles – stopping them from entering our waterways. The manufacturing process of making recycled polyester was both visually and haptically excting to me; something to engage the sense of touch and juxtapose tactility of plastic to the clothes we wear.
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1 . Strip label s, shred into tiny pieces like plastic confetti. 2 . Pieces converted into tiny pellets 3 . Pellets melted 4 . Converted to wool 5 . Spin into yarn
Did you know... 8 million tons of plastic enter our oceans every year. And out of that, 1.5 million tons is from plastic bottles.
RIDE THE WAVE.
Recycled Polyester is made from clear plastic bottles. By buying products made from this, you’re helpig to rid the ocean of this plastic disaster. Ride the wave. Make the change. Together.
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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
RIDE THE WAVE.
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
Rendered Section:
Suspended waves of plastic made during the process of making recycled polyester. Cast onto discarded fishing nets with resin blue lights shine upwards to immerse you in the “ocean” and direct your view.
Passing through the wave, the space gets brighter as you reach the end and see the wave form into a Ridgeline Backpack made from Recycled Polyester. 12
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Make a change. Together. Re-use: The entire space is made from found and recycled materials. With the walls and floor clad in recycled plastic tiles, the installation made from recycled plastic bottle pieces and discarded fishing nets, ropes discarded from fishing in the ocean are also used to suspend the wave.
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From The Street: Passersby are enticed to enter and explore as scattered bottles in the windows give a glimpse of the wave inside, while creating a dappled lighting effect inside. With shocking plastic ocean facts on the windows, United By Blue’s efforts are made clear,
User Flow: Circulation.
Visual Flow: brightening.
Tactile change: softness of touch.
Sensory Flow. 16
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Making the prototype.
1:2 final prototype.
The Prototype. This proposal is clad entirely with recycled plastic tiles in the interior; the walls, floor and suspended ceiling are all covered. Initially, I researched melting plastic bottles or bottletops to create hard plastic tiles however due to toxic fumes from uncertain temperatures it was not safe enough to do so. Instead, I have experimented with plastic bags to create a new material: a lightweight plastic made only from HDPE plastic bags ironed together. By cutting up plastic bags, layering 4 sheets together at a time and ironing between sheets of baking paper, I have safely fused 35 plastic bags together to make this tile. This prototype adds to the concept ‘Make A Change’ as this is a material that can be made at home. Plastic bags are still one of the biggest pollutants of the ocean, and this technique can be made at home to avoid plastic reaching the oceans. It is still fully recyclable. The final realised design would be made from recycled plastic tiles from a company such as Smile Plastics who can safely melt varieties of plastics into tiles.
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Ride The Wave.
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