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CIRCULAR ECONOMY FOR
TRANSFORMATION TOWARDS NET ZERO
flipped classroom
Circular Design. innovation alliance
booklet three of three
3
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The Innovation Alliance Circular Design
(CiD) offers a radically new model on
how to link design to circularity and
urban transformation. The Alliance aims
to establish benchmarks for rethinking
design in a circular economy, shifting urban
design, architecture, product and service
design towards carbon-neutral cities,
and enhancing bio-based innovation for
building.
Blueprints for green, resilience, and
digital skills are to support the change
towards sustainable, inclusive, affordable
cities. They boost the turn to a circular
construction and design economy driven
by culture and creativity.
CiD operates on three levels: the co- creation of knowledge on circular design,
the set-up of an innovation ecosystem for
circular design, and educational innovation
in academia, green entrepreneurship, and
continuous learning and upskilling.
The CiD Innovation Ecosystem brings
together relevant actors from academia,
research, business incubators, continuous
education, civil society organisations,
and enterprises. The evolution of the
Alliance’s results, their dissemination
and sustainability beyond the project is
supported through the involvement of
Europe-wide organisations in architectural
practice, society, and culture.
Local and Europe-wide observatories set
up within CiD aim at including relevant
stakeholders to connect the education
and research environments with the
surrounding socio/economic environment.
The Observatories will contribute to
the framework of challenges for the
co-creation and flow of knowledge and
to novel models for challenge-based
education.
join us at www.cid-innovationalliance.eu
and @cid.innovationalliance
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Booklet 3
Circular Design
page 38 Tasks for the session: Address and apply
Stakeholder Mapping and Elevated Pitch design
tools to students‘ projects or case studies.
page xxx what is a Flipped Classroom?
page xxx Flipped Session
page xxx glossary
page xxx imprint
page 30 third chapter, second part: how to
define and communicate the circular value of
your design projects, visualise and pitch it
36:24
CHAPTER 3.2: RELEASE
Community engagement
page 26 third chapter, first part: starting the
release and cooperation part, building networls
1. Stakeholder mapping
• tool #1 The Partner Map
• tool #2 Business Model Canvas
2. Create your narrative
• tool #3 Brand Template
• tool #4 Elevator Pitch
29:34
CHAPTER 3.1: RELEASE
Community engagement
page 10 first chapter: an introduction to circular
economy and key principles page 14 additional
content (insights, case-studies, videos)
1. What is circular economy?
#Why do we need it? #Three principles
2. How will economy change?
#New Business Models # Consumer
behaviours #Supply Chains
3. Job Market #Investments #Government
0:00
CHAPTER 1: UNDERSTAND
page 21 second chapter, second part: scale-up
to urban impacts and supply chains, tools and
best practices of design circular projects
page 24 additional content (explore case-studies)
1. Definition and models of supply chain
#Tool: Supply chain toolbox
2. Building circular supply chains
3. Supply chain in bio-based
# Case studies
page 16 second chapter, first part: from product
to service design tools and ecosystems
1. Product and Service
2. Service Design Principles
3. Product-service system (PSS)
# Tool: Product journey mapping
# Case studies
TABLE OF CONTENTS
booklet 3
6:20
CHAPTER 2.1: DEFINE
From products to service design tools 16:44
CHAPTER 2.2: DEFINE
Territorial impacts: sustainable
urban supply chains
TASK OF
THE
SESSION
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Booklet 3
Circular Design
GLOSSARY
FLIPPED CLASSROOM
in class
out of class
BEFORE
preparation to
participate in class
activities
AFTER
with the further literature
the learning and
knowledge can be
extended
DURING
joint discussion,
applying
key concepts
with feedbacks
How does it work? Some terms in the
booklet are highlighted in pink and can be
looked up in the glossary.
How does it work? A flipped classroom
is a teaching strategy that reverses the
traditional learning environment. Instead of
listening to lectures in class, you‘ll watch
engaging video lectures or read materials
on your own. This booklet is designed to
help you do this and provides all the links
you need to prepare for the collaborative
discussion at the end of the flipped
classroom. In each chapter you will also
find further examples of good practice
and literature if you want to deepen your
knowledge. At the end of the lesson, the
task for the collaborative discussion is
explained and the core literature to be read
is marked in green as part of the overall
task.
BOOKLET
BOOKLET
PREPARED TASK
VIDEO
page 40
page 10
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Booklet 3
Circular Design
CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND DESIGN
Federica Delprino, Silvia Pericu (UniGe)
#0
The document provides a detailed overview
of a flipped classroom module focused on
the circular economy and its role in achieving
net-zero carbon emissions.
As part of the Innovation Alliance Circular
Design (CiD), this module shows how circular
design can transform the built environment,
buildings, products and the territory with its
communities as an ecosystem,, promoting
sustainability, reducing waste, and suppor
-
ting carbon-neutral cities. It serves as both
a theoretical guide and a practical toolkit for
students and professionals interested in cir
-
cular economy and sustainable design. By in
-
corporating real-world examples, the module
encourages active participation and equips
learners with the skills needed to drive sus
-
tainable transformation.
This third booklet, addressing design and cir
-
cular economy, is diveded in three sections:
+ Understand: what is circular economy?
+ Define
1: how service design can help towards car
-
bon neutral cities
2: how rethinking supply chains can help to
-
wards carbon neutral cities
+ Release:
1. how to engage communities
2. how to use tools for circularity, storytelling
and value dissemination
A key focus is the contrast between the tra
-
ditional linear economy, which follows a take,
make, dispose approach, and the circular eco
-
nomy, which aims to keep resources in use
through recycling, reuse, and repurposing.
This model helps reduce environmental harm
while regenerating natural systems, addres
-
sing urgent issues like resource depletion,
waste production, and climate change. And
design plays a vital role in this shift. Circu
-
lar design strategies encourage companies
to create products that last longer, can be
reused or recycled, and minimize resource
consumption.
These design choices help extend product
life, reduce waste, and lower environmental
impacts while fostering economic innovation.
Circular design also supports a more inclusi
-
ve and resilient economy, opening new paths
to sustainable growth.
The document explores Product-Service
Systems (PSS), which shift focus from sel
-
ling products to providing service-based so
-
lutions, aligning with circular economy goals.
By extending product lifecycles and reducing
waste, PSS supports resource efficiency and
business innovation.
To put these ideas into practice, tools like
stakeholder mapping, value creation, and
storytelling are introduced, helping to iden
-
tify stakeholders and communicate circular
economy initiatives effectively. Circular de
-
sign strategies are faced in practical tasks
involving the power/interest grid and eleva
-
tor pitch to analyse, set and deliver projects
in a circular point of view.
Real-world case studies show how waste
can become a resource, demonstrating to
students how circularity can be integrated
into daily practices and the role of designers
in this process. The booklet offers resources
linked to the videos, along with examples to
deepen students‘ understanding and explore
the topic further.
Figure 1
Recycling in the construction sector.
Source: Europen Environmente Agency.
https://www.eea.europa.eu/en
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Circular Design
Circular Economy impact to economy
A transition to circular economy models would
fundamentally alter how value is created, how
resources are used and how products and services are
consumed, leading to more sustainable, resilient, and
inclusive economic growth, representing a profound
shift from the current economic model.
The main points representing this shift are:
1. Shift in Business Models and Value Creation
2. Redefinition of Supply Chains
3. Job Market Evolution
4. Consumer Behavior Changes
5. Changes in Investment Patterns
6. Change in governments role
7. Increased Collaboration Across Sectors
8. Environmental and Economic Resilience
Circular economy link to design
Source: Allikas: WRAP (n.d.), WRAP and the circular economy
Circular Economy link to design
80% of the product‘s environmental impact is related
with decisions made in the design phase.
Therefore companies need to:
+ Design for longevity
+ Design for leasing or service
+ Design for re-use in manufacture
+ Design for material recovery
Indeed, the three main principles of circular economy
are to reduce, to reuse and to recycle.
So, in order to minimize the use of resources and
energy throughout the production and consumption
process, extend the lifespan of products by repairing,
refurbishing, or repurposing them, recover valuable
materials from waste for use in new products.
3. circular economy principles 4. eight points of impact to economy
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Circular Design
Stella Femke Rigo
She is a designer born in 1996, pursued her studies at
the University of Genoa before obtaining a Master‘s
degree in Ecology Futures in the Netherlands. She is
currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Genoa,
focusing primarily on circular economy and innovative
methods for developing sustainable materials. Her
research aims to educate both herself and the
community on the importance of circular economy
practices. She views design as a bridge between
humanity and the environment. According to her,
the modern designer is a professional with a keen
aesthetic sense, who works for the community with
the ultimate goal of environmental preservation
The relationship between Service Design and the
Circular Economy is important because combining
these two approaches can significantly improve a
company’s environmental impact.
The Circular Economy emphasizes reducing waste
and promoting resource efficiency, and companies
can adopt several strategies to support this model.
One of the most important is the Product-Service
System (PSS), which shifts the focus from selling
products to offering services that meet user needs
in a more sustainable way. This approach requires
businesses to develop new skills and capabilities,
allowing them to extend product lifecycles, reduce
waste, and minimize environmental impact.
The fundamental principles that define Service
Design are: user-centricity, co-creation, sequencing,
evidencing, and holistic.
+ User-Centric: Services are designed with the user
at the center, aiming to improve their experience with
products and services by addressing their needs
and concerns.
+ Co-Creation: Service design involves collaboration
with a wide range of stakeholders, including IT
specialists, citizens, associations, and institutions, to
ensure diverse perspectives are integrated.
+ Sequencing: Services are time-based and follow
a structured journey, often divided into pre-service,
service, and post-service phases. This distinguishes
services from products, which are more tied to
physical space.
+ Evidencing: Since services are intangible,
touchpoints such as physical elements, spaces, and
visuals help make the experience concrete and define
the overall user journey.
+ Holistic: Service design is a systemic approach that
builds an interconnected ecosystem, ensuring all
elements of the service work together cohesively.
The journey map is a synthetic representation that
outlines, step-by-step, how a user interacts with a
service or product. From the user’s perspective, it
details each stage of the interaction, highlighting the
involved touchpoints, potential obstacles, and barriers.
For services, this map is often enhanced with layers that
represent the user‘s emotional journey, showing positive
or negative experiences throughout the process.
In the case of products, the journey is typically
structured as a timeline divided into three key phases:
the beginning of life, which focuses on material
substitution, remanufacturing, and energy efficiency;
the middle of life, where the product functions as a
service and continues its „product activity“; and the
end of life, where the focus shifts to reuse, recycling,
and alternative disposal. Both journey maps help
identify opportunities for improving user experiences
and enhancing sustainability across the product or
service lifecycle.
1. speaker / introduction 2. service design principles 3. product-service system (PSS) 4. product journey mapping
Stella Femke
Rigo UniGe
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Circular Design
Bananatex
Allegory
Giorgia Tucci
Architect and PhD, is a Research Fellow at the
Department of Architecture and Design of the University
of Genoa (Italy). She carries out research on the topics
of agriculture and territorial planning, sustainable urban
metabolism, circular economy and design.
Introduction: There will be shown three case studies
illustrate the growing importance of biomaterials
and circular supply chains in today’s global market.
Many companies, startups, and research sectors are
contributing to this movement.
1. speaker / introduction 2. case studies
DEFINE - SUSTAINABLE URBAN SUPPLY CHAIN.
TERRITORIAL IMPACTS
+ BananaTex, the world‘s first durable, biodegradable,
and plastic-free fabric made entirely from banana plants
grown in the Philippines. This plant thrives without the
need for chemical treatments, pesticides, fertilizers, or
additional water, promoting reforestation, biodiversity,
and the economic well-being of local farmers.
The Philippines is a central hub for banana fiber produc- tion, where harvested fibers are processed into yarn at
a Taiwanese paper mill. BananaTex is also working to- wards a closed-loop recycling process and encourages
partners to adopt similar sustainable practices.
+ Allegory, a small-batch accessory line based in New
York City. Allegory creates bags from discarded fruits
like mangoes, collected from supermarkets, and trans- forms them into strong, leather-like materials using an
eco-friendly process. This approach not only reduces
food waste and greenhouse gas emissions but also of- fers a sustainable alternative to conventional materials.
Allegory’s collaboration with local suppliers and use of
natural additives demonstrate a market-driven, circular
supply chain in the fashion industry.
+ Kaffeeform, a Berlin-based startup that tackles the
significant waste generated by the coffee industry,
which sees an estimated 2 billion cups consumed daily.
Coffee grounds, typically discarded, are collected and
transformed into sustainable products like cups and kit- chenware. This initiative, carried out in Germany with lo- cal workshops, highlights the importance of local value
chains and ecological production.
Kaffeeform cycle
by Julian Lechner / Berlin - Germany, 2015
Source: https://circularcommunity.org/
← Bananatex® by QWSTION, Switzerland
The Philippines, 2018
Source: www.bananatex.info - www.qwstion.com
Allegorie by Koen Meerkerk and Hugo de Boon,
Rotterdam, Netherlands, 2021
https://allegoriedesign.com/pages/ourmaterials
Kaffeeform by Julian Lechner / Berlin - Germany, 2015
Source: https://circularcommunity.org/
Giorgia Tucci
UniGe
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Circular Design
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Circular Design
ADDITIONAL CONTENT
Insights and case-studies about circular economy
- chapter 2
CASE-STUDIES REFERENCES
Ottan Studio
by Ottan Studio - Ayse Yılmaz /
Istambul –Turkey, 2017
https://www.ottanstudio.com/
Milk Brick©
by Muresu Studio / Sassari - Italia, 2011
https://www.milkbrick.com/
FabBRICK®
by Clarisse Merlet / Paris - France, 2023
https://www.fab-brick.com/
Crabyon
by MAEKO & Omikenshi/ Itala - Japan,
2019
https://maekotessuti.com/fibre-crabyon/
Natural Material Studio
by Natural Material Studio / Copenhagen -
Denmark, 2023
https://naturalmaterialstudio.com/
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Circular Design
Tool: stakeholder mapping
The goal of this activity is identification of the
stakeholders in your project, and their level of
commitment in ordert to enable the creation of
shared value and anticipate how this relationships
will evolve over time. A stakeholder is a someone
who is involved with an organization, society, etc.
and therefore has responsibilities towards it and an
interest in its success. Stakeholders can be internal
within your company or project or start up, and
external stakeholders, who you might need to partner
with -. i.e. local and national government, suppliers,
customers existing and potential.
To identify your potential stakeholders, and to create
a list, you need to answer each of the following
questions (5 minutes per question):
1. Who could support? Individuals? Organisation?
Providers? Clients? Associates?
2. Who could be impacted? Users? Companies?
Customers? Organisations? Residents?
Communities? Efficient moodboard
3. Who could be in charge? On a daily basis?
Directly? Transversally? Partially? Totally?
Silvia Pericu
Architect, PhD, Associate Professor in Product Design
at the Department Architecture and Design, Università
di Genova UNIGE, since 2013.
Her research interests focus on design‘s capabilities to
contribute to territorial development and transforma- tion in relationship to sustainability, health and safety.
Main issues in the research are co-design processes
for social innovation and circular design strategies for
making change happen towards circular economy.
On this topic she coordinated in the last two years the
partnership activity of the University of Genoa, in the
URBACT III Action Planning Network: ‘2nd Chance.
Waking up sleeping giants, for a sustainable urban
development’ and the Creative EU ‘Creative Food
Cycles’ (2018-20) as scientific manager for University
of Genoa research team.
1. speaker / introduction 2. stakeholder mapping
The Circular Value Flower method is developed
by Els Leclercq and Mo Smit in partnership with
Delft University of Technology as part of the
Design & Government (Ontwerp & Overheid)
and the Circular Communities project
(supported by Delft Global Initiative)
Source: https://circularcommunity.org/
RELEASE: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
STAKEHOLDER MAPPING
#3.1
Silvia Pericu
UniGe
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Circular Design
Tool: the power/interest grid
This grid helps to prioritize your stakeholders, because
some of them may have the power either to block
or advance, some may be interested in what you are
doing, others may not care. The Power-Interest grid
helps in identifying stakeholders based on their power
and interest in the project: who has high or low power
can affect your project, as who has high or low interest.
Remember that although stakeholders may be
both organizations and people and is important to
identify the correct individual stakeholders within a
stakeholder organization.
People with high power need to be kept satisfied, while
people with high interest need to be kept informed.
When a stakeholder has both, make sure you manage
his/her expectations very closely.
Source: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/
circular-buy-in
3. power/interest grid 4. narrative of stakeholders
Develop a narrative of stakeholders
Take your stakeholders one by one and consider each
of their perspectives using the following questions:
+ What matters to them most?
+ What keeps them up at night?
+ How do they problem solve?
+ Who else do they have around them that might be
a support for your idea?
Once you have your narrative in place, ask yourself—
Is there also the possibility of showing an early
prototype of something to gain their interest?
Source: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.
org/circular-buy-in
Circular buy-in worksheet: „Now, consider their
perspectives to understand where they’re coming from.
local and national government, suppliers, customers
(existing and potential). TOP TIP: Possible stakeholders
might include local and national government, suppliers,
customers (existing and potential).“
Source: https://circulardesignguide.com
Copyright © Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2016
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Circular Design
Tool: Partner Map
With the Partner Map you can easily create a visual
representation of the relationship your organization or
a specific project has with the stakeholders involved.
Such tool helps you understand who is concerned with
your challenge, identify the level of engagement, the
evolution of the relationship over time as well as any
friction, their interests and therefore you will be able to
decide on the best strategy to take action.
The tool was created by https://circulab.com/ with other
tools as the Value Chain Canvas and in 2015, created
a circular economy community with a training platform,
offering tools and methods, to guide as many people
as possible. It is licensed under the Creative Common
BY-SA 4.0 licence to allow for further contributions by
experts and users in the coming years.
First step is to define the challenge and write it down
on the canvas. Then place each stakeholder choosing
in which key step are fundamental for your challenge
and the level of action or influence from local to
global. The horizontal axis describes the different
steps of the value chain under consideration, from
design to next use/value, and the vertical axis ranks
your stakeholders depening on their geographical
scale (from local to global).
further information further information further
information further information further information
further information literature literature literature
literature literature literature literature literature
literature literature literature other good practice
examples other good practice examples other good
practice examples other good practice examples
other good practice examples
1. speaker / introduction 2. the partner map
RELEASE: CREATE YOUR NARRATIVE
#3.2
„Stakeholder mapping, more than just a CSR deliverable“
Source: https://circulab.com/alone-we-go-fast-together-we-go-further-the-partner-map/
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Circular Design
Tool: Create your narrative
Now, let’s discuss the importance of value and
storytelling in your project. Storytelling is a powerful
tool that helps you communicate the essence of your
project and engage stakeholders emotionally.
To create a strong narrative, you need to:
1. Revisit your brand promise:
What value are you offering to your audience?
2. Empathize with internal and external stakeholders:
Understand their needs and perspectives.
3. Develop a compelling storyboard:
Structure your message clearly and make it relatable.
4. Use empathetic and specific language:
Ensure your narrative resonates with your audience.
5. Establish a clear ‘through-line’:
Create a consistent theme that runs through your
project’s story.
Tools such as the Brand Template and the Elevator
Pitch help you structure your narrative.
3. business model canvas 4. create your narrative
Tool: Business Model Canvas
Circular design thinking is an iterative process of
continuous learning, prototyping, and feedback loops.
As such, you may continuously come back to the users,
as their perspectives fit within the system, and iterate
on the business model canvas.
This tool has been developed by Osterwalder &
Pigneur (strategyzer.com) and in this specific version
– developed by ellenmacarthurfoundation - there were
added some prompts and questions that you might find
helpful in the context of the circular economy. It is a tool
that you need to be familiar with, however complex it
may be, because it allows you to understand what roles
stakeholders play within the project.
There is not a rigid start and end point
When you fill it out for the first time, expect to find
holes. It’s okay not to know exactly how everything will
work. Adapt as needed and continue to reference this
as you iterate on your solution.
Fill the spaces for key partnerships, key activities, value
proposition, customer relationship, customer segments,
key resources, channels, costs and revenues, checking
the specific questions contained in the boxes.
Source: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/
circular-business-model
„The business model canvas has been developed by
Osterwalder & Pigneur (strategyzer.com). You might
have filled one of these in before - here we have added
some prompts and questions that you might find helpful in
the context of the circular economy. If you need more
space, create your own canvas using post-its“.
Source: www.circulardesignguide.com
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Circular Design
To reinforce your brand through sustainability, the
Brand Template can help create a strong brand
promise. Focus on emotional connection and customer
values, integrating circularity into your messaging.
This process helps craft a narrative that not only
informs but also inspires your audience, making your
innovation feel personally relevant to them. Use the
steps outlined—assessing customer values, linking
them to your brand promise, and fine-tuning the
emotional impact of your message—to ensure your
circular initiatives build loyalty and engagement.
Indeed, circular opportunity, added to the brand‘s
competitive differential with what consumers value,
will result in not only an effective message, but also
an emotional connection and drive.
Case-study for product design
Snarkitecture and Furniture Line by Pentatonic
(UK): Pentatonic is a design company specializing in
creating furniture from post-consumer waste. They
craft products such as chairs, tables, and glassware
using recycled plastic, smartphones, and other
waste materials. Snarkitecture is a New York-based
collaborative practice founded by Daniel Arsham and
Alex Mustonen.
Narrative: The story is centered on transforming
trash into treasure. Pentatonic frames their product
line as a revolutionary approach to design, where
waste from one product becomes the raw material
for another. They tell a story about closing the loop
on consumption and making sustainable living stylish
and accessible.
Key Circular Design Elements: Use of waste materials,
disassemblable furniture for recycling, and a strong
focus on a circular economy in product lifecycle.
Sources:
1. https://www.wallpaper.com/design/sustainable-furniture- collection-snarkitecture-pentatonic
2. https://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/
this-furniture-is-made-from-trash_o
3. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sustainable-luxury-eco- friendly-furniture-responsible-growth-hospitality-dbatf/
5. brand promise and brand template 6. value and storytelling / product design
Brand Promise worksheet
„This is a process to help you figure out how your circular
opportunity reinforces your brand value“
Source: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/
circular-design-guide/resources
Copyright © Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2016
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Circular Design
Tool: „Unique selling proposition“
Source: ogno.io
Tool: elevator pitch
An elevator pitch, as defined by the Cambridge
Dictionary, is „a short but effective explanation that’s
intended to persuade someone to buy a product or
accept an idea.“ It is vital to present your project
effectively in 30 seconds, highlighting key elements
such as passion, clarity, and accessibility. It‘s a tool
to build your narrative and disseminate your ideas
towards a fast and clear communication.
It is the „The speech an entrepreneur would give to
an investor if they happened to be with them in a lift“
(Verma, Mohammed, Bhargava, 2017). Imagine to be
in an elevator with an important investor or key figure
in your sector: you just have about 30 seconds to
deliver your idea and explain its value. You can present
your idea or project effectively following these points:
Passion, Reliability, Clear ideas, Accessible language
and Practice, filling the script shown in the slide below.
It can be applied not only to Oral presentations, but
also Written presentations, Project Submissions to
contests, Efficient moodboards, Video, etc.
7. value and storytelling / service design 8. elevator pitch
Case-study for service design
The BlueCity Circular Interior (Rotterdam).
BlueCity is a circular business hub located in an old
water park in Rotterdam. The interior design of their
workspace was created entirely from waste materials,
including leftover wood, plastic, and steel from
demolition sites.
Narrative: The narrative behind BlueCity’s interior
design revolves around the transformation of waste
into beautiful, functional spaces. By repurposing
waste materials that would otherwise end up in
landfills, they send a message about how cities and
industries can adopt circularity in every facet, from
architecture to everyday operations.
Key Circular Design Elements: Reused materials,
modular systems for easy adaptation, and energy- efficient design solutions
Sources:
1. https://www.instagram.com/bluecity010/
2. https://www.bluecity.nl/en/veelgestelde-vragen
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Circular Design
#4.1
TASKS FOR THE JOINT DISCUSSION
1. Create a Power/Interest grid with the stakeholders
of a proposed business idea.
1: Identify Your Stakeholders
The first step involves creating a compre- hensive list of all stakeholders relevant to
the proposed business. It is essential to
make this list as exhaustive as possible, in- cluding every group affected by the propo- sed business.
Stakeholders may also encompass compe- titors, even if their impact is less significant
to your organization. A thorough stakehol- der list should include groups that may lack
a voice, such as the environment or future
generations, or those represented by other
organizations (such as charities or NGOs).
2: Assess Each Stakeholder
by Impact and Influence
The second step is to evaluate each stake- holder identified in the first step based on
two criteria: impact and influence. Impact
refers to the extent to which your business
affects a stakeholder, which can be either
positive or negative. These impacts may
arise from various aspects of your opera- tions, including products and services, pro- curement practices, financing, employment
opportunities, environmental effects, supply
chain dynamics, and community initiatives.
Influence pertains to the degree of power a
stakeholder has over your business.
For instance, customers typically receive
a high influence rating because changes
in their perceptions can significantly affect
business performance. The final scores can
be averaged or weighted according to their
significance to yield an overall result.
3: Visualize the Results on the Grid
After obtaining your results, chart each
stakeholder on your list according to their
impact score (from low to high) along the
horizontal x-axis and their influence score
along the vertical y-axis.This visualization
allows you to categorize stakeholders into
four segments based on their positions
on the stakeholder map. These segments
can inform your management strategies for
each group:
+ Engage: Stakeholders in this category
score high for both impact and influence.
These are your most critical stakeholders,
necessitating an active engagement stra- tegy to identify and mitigate negative im- pacts while fostering positive relationships.
+ Satisfy: Stakeholders here score low for
impact but high for influence. Regulators
often fall into this category; while their
requirements must be met, the business‘s
impact on them may be less significant.
+ Inform: Stakeholders in this group score
high for impact but low for influence.
The impacts of your business on these
stakeholders require careful management.
Although they may not be as critical as
those in the Engage category, some groups
may have proxies that fall into that segment
(e.g., NGOs representing environmental
interests or workers in your supply chain).
+ Monitor: Stakeholders in this category
score low for both impact and influence.
While they are generally less critical to your
business, they should still be monitored in
case their impact or influence increases,
potentially elevating them into a more
significant category.
The Stakeholder Map
HIGH
HIGH
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#4.2
TASKS FOR THE JOINT DISCUSSION
2. Create an Elevator pitch sentence and a brief
discourse to disseminate your design idea
1. Identify the Core Value
Write a brief description of the selected
deesign project (1-2 sentences) in order
to clarify your starting point. Then, follow
these steps to pinpoint the core value, what
makes your project meaningful and relevant
to its audience:
+ Who is the target audience?
Identify who will benefit from your design
(e.g., specific group of users, a community,
businesses, the environment).
+ What problem are you solving?
Clearly define the problem your design
addresses and may solve, whether it is a
functional, aesthetic, or societal challenge.
+ How does your design solve the problem?
Find the solution your design offers and how
it can improve a situation, experience, system.
+ Why is it valuable?
Explain the value of your solution (e.g., is it
more efficient, sustainable, user-friendly, or
innovative than other solutions?)
2. Structure and Refine your Pitch
+ Fill in the sentence in the figure beside,
identifying the Project name (what?), the
Category it fits in (where?), the benefit it may
add (value), the Target it engages with (who?),
the need it addresses (why?), emphasising
on the solution it gives (how?), finding the
competitive differentiation
+ Develop a short discourse to explain the
idea better, also enhancing the circularity
and the positive impact.
Focus on clarity and conciseness, while
making the pitch engaging and informative:
1. Hook: Start with a strong opening line that
grabs attention. This could be a question, a
startling fact, or a statement of the problem
you‘re solving.
2. Problem: State the problem you identified.
Be specific and explain why this problem
matters to your audience.
3. Solution: Present your solution—your
design. Keep it simple and focused on how
your design addresses the problem.
4. Value: Highlight the value and impact of
your design. Explain why it stands out or
how it benefits the target audience.
This pitch should be between 30 and 60
seconds, perfect to be delivered next time
you‘ll meet an important investor in the lift!
3. Practice and Feedback
Pair up with a partner or work in small
groups. Take turns delivering your pitch
while keeping track of time.
Remove jargon or unnecessary details.
Make your pitch as simple and easy to
understand as possible. Also, make sure your
pitch sounds natural and conversational.
Add enthusiasm and energy to keep the
listener interested. Give feedback to each
other about it.
4. Deliverable:
At the end of the hour, you should have a
refined pitch to deliver your pitch to the class.
PROJECT NAME CATEGORY
BENEFIT TARGET
NEED
SOLUTION
The Elevator Pitch
is the only
able to thought for
who need to
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biophilia
The term biophilia, a concept introduced by
Erich Fromm (1991), refers to the natural,
evolutionary bond between living organisms
and nature. This connection is essential
for the survival and adaptation of humans,
plants, and animals. Since the COVID-19
pandemic, biophilia has become a key prin- ciple in urban design, going beyond traditio- nal eco-efficiency and sustainability efforts.
Biophilic design aims to create healthier,
more balanced environments by integra- ting nature—such as plants, trees, natural
light, and green views—into urban spaces.
It promotes sensory well-being, mental and
physical health, and stronger connections
between people, nature, and the built envi- ronment. By incorporating natural elements
into cities, biophilic design fosters social
and infrastructural interaction, benefiting
both health and productivity while enhan- cing human-nature relationships.
circular economy
A circular economy is an economic model
focused on minimizing waste and making
the most of resources. Unlike the traditional
linear economy‘s „take-make-dispose“ ap- proach, the circular economy emphasizes
reducing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and
recycling materials and products to create a
closed-loop system.
This approach aims to extend the life cyc- le of products, reduce resource consump- tion, and decrease environmental impact.
foodshed
It is the geographic region where flows of
bio-materials and resources are linked along
the supply chain. The term is used particu- larly to describe a region of food flows, from
the area where it is produced, to the place
where it is consumed, including: the land it
grows on, the route it travels, the markets it
passes through, and the tables it ends up on.
It is described as a „socio-geographic space:
human activity embedded in the natural inte- gument of a particular place. A foodshed is
analogous to a watershed in that foodsheds
outline the flow of food feeding a particular
population, whereas watersheds outline the
flow of water draining to a particular location.
Through drawing from the conceptual ideas
of the watershed, foodsheds are perceived
as hybrid social and natural constructs.
lineral economy
A linear economy is a traditional economic
model based on a „take-make-dispose“ ap- proach. In this system, resources are extrac- ted to create products, which are then used
and eventually discarded as waste after their
useful life ends. The linear economy con- trasts with the circular economy, which fo- cuses on reducing waste, reusing materials,
and extending the life cycle of products.
product-service system (PSS)
PSS design refers to the process of creating
integrated solutions that combine products
and services to deliver value to customers
while addressing their needs and enhancing
their experiences. In this design approach,
the focus is on developing systems that not
only provide physical goods but also incor- porate accompanying services that improve
functionality, usability, and customer satis- faction. It involves understanding the interac- tions between the product and service com- ponents and how they can work together to
fulfill user requirements effectively.
This may include elements such as mainte- nance, support, customer training, and even
community engagement.
The goal is to create sustainable solutions
that promote resource efficiency and minimi- ze environmental impact, often encouraging
shared use or access rather than ownership.
service design
Service design is the practice of designing
services. It uses a holistic and highly col- laborative approach to generate value for
both the service user and the service provi- der throughout the service’s lifecycle.
In practice, service design helps to cho- reograph the processes, technologies and
interactions driving the delivery of services,
using a human-centered perspective. Ser- vice design today is applicable across mul- glossary
l c
f
p tiple sectors, helping to deliver strategic
and tactical objectives for both the private
and public sector. (SDN, 2019)
stakeholder
A stakeholder is any individual, group, or or- ganization that has a vested interest in, or
influence over, the lifecycle of products and
services within a circular economy.
In the realm of circular design, understan- ding the diverse stakeholders involved is
essential for effectively implementing circu- lar design principles, as their collective in- put shapes sustainable practices and drives
innovation. Actors involved are mainly Ma- nufacturers and Designers, Suppliers, Con- sumers, Waste Management Entities, Regu- latory Bodies, Researchers and Innovators,
Community Organizations
storytelling
Storytelling is the art of conveying ideas,
experiences, or narratives through a struc- tured and engaging format. Storytelling for
Circular Design refers to the strategic use
of narratives to communicate the principles,
values, and benefits of circular design prac- tices. This approach emphasizes the im- portance of sharing compelling stories that
resonate with various stakeholders, inclu- ding consumers, manufacturers, and com- munity members, to foster understanding
and engagement. Effective storytelling in
circular design can highlight the journey of
materials, the impact of sustainable practi- ces, and the interconnectedness of the cir- cular economy. It serves several purposes
such as Awareness and Education, Emotio- nal Connection, Behavior Change, Commu- nity Engagement, Brand Differentiation.
b
s
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It also provides a competitive edge by ans- wering the question of why consumers
should choose this product over others in
the market.
A Unique Selling Proposition (USP) for the
Green Transition refers to the specific advan- tage or distinctive feature a product, service,
or company offers in relation to sustainability
and environmental responsibility. It highlights
what sets the offering apart in the context of
contributing to a greener, more sustainable
future. The goal is to communicate why cus- tomers should choose this eco-friendly op- tion over others, based on its superior envi- ronmental benefits, innovation in sustainable
practices, or alignment with green regulati- ons and consumer demand for sustainability.
Waste
„Waste, its management and its disposal, in- fects every aspect of our lives, from raciali- sed and gendered labour to art, activism and
architecture„ (Armiero, 2021)
In the context of the Circular Economy and
the transformation towards net zero, waste
refers to any material, product, or resource
that is no longer useful in its current form
and is typically discarded. In a linear econo- my model (take-make-dispose) is any mate- rial, resource, or byproduct that is discarded
or no longer useful in its current form.
However, in a circular economy framework,
waste is seen not as an end product, but as
a potential resource that can be reintegrated
into production cycles, thus minimizing envi- ronmental impact.
supply chain
A supply chain is a complex logistics system
that consists of facilities that convert raw
materials into finished products and distri- bute them to end consumers or end custo- mers. Meanwhile, supply chain management
deals with the flow of goods in distribution
channels within the supply chain in the most
efficient manner.
A plain definition of supply chain is propo- sed by Oxford Learner’s Dictionary all the
sequences and processes involved in the
production and distribution of a commodity
> linear economy system
Stevenson & Sprin, 2007 – Int. Journal of
Production Management, introduced a net- work-based definition of the concept by in- cluding individuals, innovators and compa- nies that are involved in creating a product /
service and delivering it to consumers of a
regionn, in the circular economy system.
In this last definition four key elements
emerge as essential: materials, flows, pla- ces (exchange hubs) and players.
tool
Service design tools are guides for facilita- ting co-design, visualizing processes, proto- typing, and giving tangibility to the intangib- le experiences that are designed. They are
an enhanced set of evolving tools to design
meaningful services for the new complexity.
As all tools are meant to provide the founda- tion for solving complex issues, to be most
effective they need to be customized and
adapted to the type of field being addressed.
t
u
w
uniqe value proposition
A Unique Value Proposition (UVP) is a clear
statement that describes the distinct bene- fits a product, service, or brand offers to its
customers. It highlights why a company’s of- fering is better or different from the competi- tion and explains how it solves a problem or
meets a specific need of the target audien- ce. A well-crafted UVP helps differentiate a
business in the marketplace by emphasizing
its most valuable aspects to potential custo- mers. A Unique Value Proposition (UVP) for
the Green Transition refers to the distinct be- nefits and value that a company, product, or
service offers in relation to sustainability and
environmental responsibility.
It communicates how the offering contribu- tes to the green transition—helping custo- mers reduce their environmental impact or
supporting the broader shift toward a low- carbon, circular, or renewable economy
uniqe selling proposition
A Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is a mar- keting concept that refers to the specific
feature or benefit that distinguishes a pro- duct, service, or brand from its competitors.
It highlights what makes the offering unique
and valuable to the target audience, often fo- cusing on a single aspect that competitors
do not provide. A USP is designed to empha- size the distinctiveness of the product or ser- vice, showcasing the particular advantage it
offers to customers by addressing their spe- cific needs or desires.
Waste as a resource refers to the concept
that materials or byproducts traditionally
considered as waste can be reimagined as
valuable inputs for new processes or pro- ducts. In this view, waste is not the end of
a product‘s lifecycle, but a resource to be
recovered, repurposed, or transformed to
extend its utility.
There are several terms related to „waste“
within the design world and practices:
Waste-Free Systems: Designing processes
or products that eliminate waste entirely,
promoting a closed-loop system.
Wasteocene: an era increasingly defined by
the massive transformation of natural re- sources into trash.
Waste Hierarchy: The prioritization of waste
management practices, such as reduce, reu- se, and recycle, to limit environmental impact.
Waste Minimization: Strategies and design
methods aimed at producing less waste du- ring production and after product use.
Waste Prevention: Designing products and
processes that minimize the creation of
waste, focusing on durability, repairability,
and modularity.
Waste Reduction: Minimizing the generation
of waste through better design, reuse, recy- cling, and responsible consumption.
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IMPRINT
Circular Design
Knowledge Exchange Workshop
Report
Edited by Silvia Pericu, Federica Delprino,
Chiara Olivastri, Stella Femke Rigo,
Emanuele Sommariva, Giorgia Tucci (UniGe),
Nele Plutus, Helen Arme (TEI)
Design and Layout: Anna Pape,
Helena Reinhard, Max Bender (LUH),
Federica Delprino (UNIGE)
Published by:
University of Genova (UniGe)
Department of Architecture and Design
Herrenhäuser Str. 8, D-30419 Hannover
www.staedtebau.uni-hannover.de
© 2024
University of Genova (UniGe)
Department of Architecture and Design
Texts by kind permission of the authors,
pictures by kind permission of the
photographers/holders of the picture rights.
All rights reserved.
Publshed for:
CiD Circular Design Innovation Alliance
Erasmus+ Innovation Alliance Grant
101111686
Co-funded by the European Union
Views and opinions expressed are however
those of the authors only and do not neces
-
sarily reflect those of the European Union
or the granting authority EACEA European
Education and Culture Executive Agency.
Neither the European Union nor the granting
authority can be held responsible for them.
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