UPCYCLE: Reimagining the Future of Work

Share:

Using the power of creativity to drive sustainability
in workplace design and fit-out
 

The rising demand for a more sustainable workplace is shaping the future of office space. This trend is being driven by net-zero carbon commitments, rigorous legislation, and increased environmental consciousness among businesses. Our UPCYCLE initiative responds to a growing issue that has arisen post-Covid. As businesses reconfigure workspace to meet evolving employee needs, they're being left with a significant amount of unusable ‘end-of-life’ office equipment.

The objective of the UPCYCLE exhibition was to help us imagine an alternate approach to materials, equipment and furniture for the future of work. We commissioned leading designers to create art installations using obsolete office equipment, which we exhibited in the heart of Cape Town, South Africa to different audiences through memorable events and public viewings.

We brought together local and international designers and artists to give new life to donated 'leftovers' from Sanlam, Africa's largest insurance company. These creatives included the likes of Patrick Bongoy, Wiid Design, Hoven Design, and Ananta Design Studio  Furthermore. Each installation went through an assessment based on the Tetris Sustainability Code, which scored the sustainability of each transformed piece.

Items were transformed into a spectrum of unique installations such as a colossal helix swing fashioned from desk legs, a seed library nestled in an upcycled cabinet, and a floor lamp designed from bookshelves and plastic bins. A sight to behold, the transformed pieces created an imaginative vision of a 2050 workplace.

After the exhibition, all the UPCYCLE installations will take up permanent residence at dedicated office sites of Sanlam and other clients. The installations will carry tags detailing their concept, the furniture they were upcycled from, and their sustainability score. These novel additions serve to raise awareness of the power of circular design and its impact on a workspace, nudging employees to think differently about design and consumption.

Tétris Design and Build’s UPCYCLE project is a sterling example of intertwining sustainability and creativity to create future office spaces. Not only does this initiative reduce waste, it also fosters a culture of sustainability. The UPCYCLE project embodies the belief that every phase of commercial real estate can be imbued with principles of environmental stewardship and economic viability.

Oxygen Farm
Tétris CDT, Adrian Davidson, TreePrenuers, Lesley Joemat

Tétris Sustainability Score:
93% Recycled Material ,  7% New Material 

A refreshing work pod made from 26 perspex COVID-19 desk screens and left over timber from an office installation. The plants filling the space are indigenous and known as one of the worlds carbon super-plants for their ability to produce high volumes of oxygen. The containers for the plants are UPCYCLED old tins, shoes, punctured footballs. The Rebel Chair inside the pod is made from compressed recycled upholstery.