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Q&A with Winner of Sustainable Solution Award 2020: Jordyn Aamot for Enliven

Q&A with Winner of Sustainable Solution Award 2020: Jordyn Aamot for Enliven

WantedDesign’s Sustainable Solution Award for 2020 went to Jordyn Aamot of ArtCenter College of Design (USA) for her project Enliven, a furniture collection made of two resourceful and regenerative materials, compressed bamboo and rPET felt. We interviewed the winners of the Conscious Design Awards to learn more about their projects, their design interests and why the notion of “conscious design” is important to them.

Jordyn Aamot

Jordyn, tell us a bit about you, your school, and your area of study.

Hi, I’m Jo. I’m from Los Angeles, California and am studying Product Design at ArtCenter College of Design with a focus on furniture and lifestyle goods.

Tell us about the project you presented at WantedDesign Brooklyn.

Through a collaboration between ArtCenter College of Design (Los Angeles) and Neuni Labs (Shanghai), I had the amazing opportunity to spend three weeks touring over 30 factories, design studios, exhibitions and material manufacturers across China. With each visit, the manufacturer’s would discuss their efforts to create more sustainable methods of production by 2030. I took this opportunity to develop a new line of sustainable furniture that utilizes current technology and methods of production, while still featuring a unique and attractive design for the greater marketplace. This resulted in the Enliven furniture collection, which makes use of two resourceful and regenerative materials – compressed bamboo and rPET felt. Given the unique heat-forming properties of the rPET felt, I was able to create 3 different design options to accompany each bamboo chair structure. Each chair may exist perfectly on its own, or be enlivened by a formed rPET felt Shell.

Why do you think your project specially appealed to the Jury?

I believe that Enliven has received it’s recognition for its well-rounded and conscious design approach. My project not only took into consideration sustainable practices, but also required an understanding of form design sensibility, thorough research on current industrial practices and the knowledge to create for human needs and aspirations.

How would you like the project to evolve and potentially be implemented?

While the Enliven furniture collection primarily uses sustainable and ethical materials, I believe that continuous effort can be made to reduce its environmental footprint if it were to be taken into production. I have continued to analyze the non-sustainable practices used within its current proposed production and wish to continue developing it to become even more environmentally friendly. Should Enliven be produced on a larger scale, I would hope that the level of consideration it holds for sustainable practices will have an effect on other furniture companies’ sustainable efforts as well.

How do you and your project relate to the notion of “conscious and responsible design”?

I am a passionate advocator for continuous and disruptive change in the world, and believe that some of the smallest changes can have the biggest impacts. I aim to understand the human condition and how to translate this into physical, actionable designs with the upmost consideration for sustainable and ethical practices. My approach for developing the Enliven furniture collection was routed in this philosophy and has led to the creation of a design that is well-rounded and conscious of everything from how it is sourced and made to how it is used.

What is next step for you? Do you have any other personal projects in which you are working on?

I am currently working with Neuni Labs in Shanghai to develop and prototype my Enliven collection for possible manufacturing opportunities. I am also working on two additional side projects: a sustainable lifestyle/athletic-wear collection and a resourceful public seatings project. Due to Covid-19, I have taken a term off from school to focus on my side projects and look for internship opportunities.

What is your dream project?

I would love to work on large-scale, socially conscious and environmentally friendly furniture and lifestyle goods projects.


Jordyn Aamot
ArtCenter College of Design – Product Design
Los Ángeles, USA
https://www.jordyndesigns.com

Read more about all the winners of the WantedDesign Conscious Design Awards 2020.