Second Spark

Collaborators: Chaahat Thakker, Shione Akazawa, Qiwen Yan

This collaborative project tackles electronic waste or e-waste which is the world’s fastest growing waste-stream, across two locations— London and Kyoto.

The existing model of consumption, fuelled by hyper-consumerism and the fetishisation of the new, generates vast quantities of waste. We found that people often found themselves in a passive state, with no idea what to do with drawers full of accumulated gadgets and wires. Technology outpaces human adaptation, and our abandoned objects threaten to outlive us all. Our research led us to the limitations of “cradle to grave” product life-cycles, prompting a shift towards “closed-loop” circular systems.

Second Spark aims to slow down consumption and forge a viable pathway by prioritising responsible reusability, where the concept of waste becomes a resource, not a burden.

Through an interactive swap-box, it encourages individuals to donate or exchange their unused electronic accessories, reigniting a sense of desire and care for obsolete electronics.

By promoting a culture of shared resourcefulness within a hyper-individualistic community, this intervention is proactive, intercepting electronics before they becomes e-waste.

Underpinning our approach, was the importance of cultivating empathy, leveraging storytelling as a form of wealth, and using connections as a catalyst for community engagement.

The Etiquette Guide is a step by step (location-specific) guide on what can and cannot be swapped providing information to new users and encouraging social harmony.

A short film following a young device's journey, offering an exciting chance to explore new storytelling methods.

Using "How Might We" Mapping to arrive at our intervention

Poster Exhibition, Camberwell College of Arts, London

Field Research: Kyoto Institute of Technology Recycling Facility

Second Spark

Walk & Talk