Projects – Agence designContext

Photovoltaics

Design Thinking

Citizen Science

CSR and CE

designContext formed a small network of international designers, innovators and artists, to support the CEO in his initial go-to-market strategy, and a first range of initial concept product designs. This French green-tech start-up, is now in the mature stages of ramping up development of printable, flexible and lightweight organic photovoltaic cells.

Find out more about dracula technologies here.

designContext developed and gives a new course for the International Business School Students, around a hybrid of Design Thinking, Systems Thinking, Innovation Process, and Life Coaching. The course is highly dynamic, with individual and group tasks, and an end of module examination. The course is given in English and in French.

Find out more about ESC Pau Business School in France here.

designContext with an anthropologist, supported this Citizen Science start-up (Bilbao, Spain), in their first round capital investment development phase. Working with the CEO on the essence of the project (e.g. global imperatives, principles, values and mission), and developing consciousness of the local and global – and historical – context and actors, in which the project is embedded. Work also included supporting the architect in their designs of a physical space.

Find out more about biook here.

designContext developed and gives a new course in English and French, around the related topic of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and CE (Circular Economy). The course has been developed online, and has five core stages:

1) Earth System Science – an introduction to energy flows, and matter cycles, gravity, solar energy, wind, wave and current systems.

2) Ecosystems – an introduction to how living systems use energy, transform it and create the conditions for more life to thrive.

3) Planetary boundaries & the Doughnut – an introduction to some of the main socio-environmental issues humanity faces, from climate warming, to ecosystem destruction and inequality.

4). Integrative Systems of Production – an introduction of the range of existing and potential integrative solutions and systems that are available to us, to transform our extractive and wasteful linear systems of production into those that are potentially regenerative by design.

5) Integral Social Economic Systems – an introduction to the range of existing and potential integrative institutional systems that exist, that can help us form more equitable and just organisations; and develop the ethical and legal frameworks to encourage regeneration.

The first course was given online, to nearly 50 business school students, over 30 hours of direct teaching.

Industrial Cluster

Regenerative Nappies

‘Circular Farms’

designContext and Remanufacturing France, worked with the acede Cluster in the Basque Country Spain, on a number of projects, supporting its members in developing remanufacturing projects and activities. One, project included a study into developing a cannibalisation (removal and storage of useful spare parts, retrieved from used-goods) activity, based around experience in France.

Another project supported the study of a collaboration between a social enterprise, and an after-sales-service provider, co-developing services and training support for advanced repair and potential re-sale services of used domestic appliances. A further project included developing further strategies for the Cluster, as a service-provider to its members in these topics.

designContext has supported DYCLE Diaper Cycle Team, through various stages in their development process. The work included:

a synthesis of their ‘state-of-the-art,’ that could be shared with all stakeholders;
a research study into the available technologies for the fabrication of the diaper insert outer-lining;
research into existing and potential bio-based materials for the diaper insert main absorber;
supporting prototyping projects, research, and co-producing a ‘hackathon‘ in Berlin;
supporting Dycle in Paris within the FAMAE investment competition;
visual explanations of some of the chemistry involved in absorption, in simple to understand ways.

Supporting Dycle in Paris during the FAMAE investment competition

To find out more about the great work of Dycle go here, or follow them on Facebook.

Gipuzkoa Reman

EU Regional Fisheries

Systemic Regional Development

designContext and Régis Dando from Remanufacturing France, created the first regional remanufacturing initiative in the Basque Country, Spain. It was provoked by Acede – an industrial cluster in the region, H-Enea (a Living-Lab) and the Provincial Government of Gipuzkoa. The event was entitled ‘Reman Gipuzkoa: 101 Conference.’

The dual objective was to create an initial dialogue between key ‘soft infrastructure’ actors (political, economical, environmental, industrial clusters, innovation, media, university…), and those industries and social groups already involved in revalue activities in the region (e.g. Emmaus, Zero Waste Gipuzkoa, Motorlan, and ReBattery); mixed with an deep-dive into the revalue chain – to build a shared level of understanding and language between all involved. Since this initial work, projects have been developed (e.g. ‘Reman Social,’ ‘Re-Node,’ and ‘T-REX’) and more are currently in development, and the understanding of the potential of remanufacturing has spread across the Basque region. Remanufacturing is now one of the key governmental circular economy strategies in the region.

designContext supported FARNET (European Fisheries Areas Network), in their European
‘Closing the Loop – the circular economy in fisheries and aquaculture‘ transnational 3 day seminar event, and publication.

The work included developing and giving a presentation on the potential of sharing and re-use models in fisheries, round-table discussions, group workshop support, and supporting the writing and images in the seminar magazine guide. Presentations were given in English, with French and Spanish in discussion groups.