A Study on the Use of Reusable Materials in RE(Rescue Earth) Design

Abstract

(Background and Purpose) Needless to say, in developing a design materials are one of the most important factors. Recreating space or products that have already been used requires more creativity and work processes than using new materials. Rescue Earth (RE), a Korean eco-friendly company, is developing designs using waste wood. While the group, located in Jeju Island, has steadily walked on one path for 10 years from 2009 to present, it has recreated and reused a lot of wood just before disposal to develop sustainable design. In particular, the reuse design that RE pursues is closely related to Retro and Newtro, which are emerged as new design trends today. They spread a new paradigm in design by applying the concept of Retro, which uses old things in their original forms, and Neutro, which reinterprets old things, to design. The background of RE design is the urgent need for expert insight into the availability of sustainable materials in the design world along with designers' social responsibility to manage reusable resources. In this study, we try to find ways to activate the reuse design through their design processes and characteristics on the premise that the eco-friendly RE's reuse design can be an alternative to the sustainable design. (Method) For this study, an about 3-hour interview with CEO of the RE is conducted at its exhibition hall after visiting RE's material factory on August 14, 2019. We try to derive improvements for the reuse design through the interview which should include the direction and philosophy of their design, the purchase path of materials and design process, and future plans and suggestions. (Results) The eco-friendly group RE realizes the sustainable design centering on waste wood generated in Jeju Island. Their design strategy is as follows. First, only old wood used indoors should be used as a main material in principle. Second, it should create an artistic value manually by fully utilizing the beauty of old wood. Third, it should provide consumers with comfort by producing minimalist and functional designs rather than complex and decorative designs. Fourth, it should pursue a design of stability and of structural beauty with traditional wooden joints rather than with a metal processing technology. Fifth, they provide reasonable prices for the corporate philosophy to be well expressed rather than used commercially. (Conclusions) An on/off line distribution system is essential for the continuous supply of waste materials for a sustainable space environment. In addition, waste materials should be recognized and accessed in a comprehensive and systematic way, for which we need to present a systematic method that can be applied by anyone easily.