Electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) is currently the largest growing waste stream in the world. It is hazardous, complex, dangerous and expensive to treat in an environmental manner; there is a general lack of legislation and enforcement surrounding its handling, disposal, and recyclability. The Unknown Desolate Transit is a project to create and awareness about e-waste: an interactive installation providing physical and digital interfaces for people to get more information about the topic by using their own phones (their personal future electronic waste) to make a physical alteration on the installation.
Information about the legal and illegal, otherwise known as, black market exporting and importing e-waste that is currently happening is mainly portrayed by the physical composition. The digital interface educates the user by providing more details about the e-waste and most importantly empowers them with information on how to be agents of change for this global problem.
Human driven technology is the tool to alter the installation. the user is enlightened by the problems and waste that their personal technology creates. Communication between the user, the interface, and the installation creates a platform to heighten awareness while searching for a solution.
Developed in the Advanced Interaction Research Line, this project has evolved with its own approach, attempting to consistently reveal urban and environmental issues. With architecture understanding, the team merges the human experiences + interaction and fabrication method in their work. Progressive design thinking at in mind, the process, interface, and the installation itself have more purposes than a state of art, the composition and functionality seemlessly complement the other.
