Aarya Kunte (She/ They)
Hi! I am a social innovator, product designer and origami artist. My work always revolves around environment, sustainability and society. I use creativity to deliver with simplicity, clarity and detailing. I like to work more in the non-digital space. My projects are related to product design, home décor, handicrafts and environmental design. Curiosity and sincerity are my strengths. I love to research and working on software for 3D modelling. Other than design, I am a sports lover and a nature enthusiast.
Projects
Collaborative Work
Hyperlocal Community Energy
Empowering rural communities of Moray through a shared renewable energy network through community engagement and place-based thinking practice
My project aims to empower rural communities of Scotland by promoting hyperlocal community energy. Scotland is at the forefront of renewable energy generation, yet, it faces fuel poverty. The research investigates the issue of providing quality life in rural homes through fair and tangible energy access. The main goal of the project is to build an affordable electricity storage infrastructure by considering community engagement at its core and the intermittency of renewable sources.
Currently, people who are a part of a community energy projects do not directly receive the benefits of the community energy funds, are partially reliant on the grid and get low monetary benefits for exporting the excess electricity they produce. The proposed intervention is to build a shared electricity network that will potentially help overcome the expenses of Renewable Energy System (RES) as people can share the installation costs, transmission cost and have a control over their energy bills leading to a responsible energy consumption. The most viable area in the community can install a RES and share the produce amongst each other. It will reduce the overall electricity cost and give a quicker payback. This will locally empower each household and form a resilient rural community.
Project Links
Hyperlocal Reuse Centre
Moray Waste Busters (MWB), the local reuse center of Forres, is a social enterprise that reloves old items and gives them a new life, adding value to the community. The space, location and the environment have a significant impact on the experience of its staff and visitors. This project aims to use qualitative research with local stakeholders and the general public to define the spatial, social and environmental opportunities for the future development of the organization as it strives to expand its operation and encourage reuse culture in wider community.
Why is the proposed solution Innovative? Why is it better than the existing sorting and drop-off system?
- The problem of rainwater runoff can be solved by using an ecologically supportive canopy like green roofing or rainwater harvesting. Green roofing is one the most accepted by users as it looks the “greenest” option and aligns with the vision of MWB, giving it an aesthetically pleasing look. Green roof can also use some of the waste collected at MWB as a resource. It helps in controlling some amount of weather conditions, keeping the place warm in winter and cool in summer. One interesting new insight that we got was that of making the place noise absorbing/ noise cancelling.
- The proposed shelf and roofing design have a speculative approach to it. It has the ability to be made into a scalable and adaptable spatial system model (Dunne, Anthony, and Fiona Raby. 2013) that can independently boost the ecology and the experience of the space. It can be applied to similar spaces to make them energy independent, environmentally friendly and boost community engagement.
- Café did not get a very affirmative feedback but a seating space was appreciated. MWB doesn’t have a good drainage system which is an important thing to be thought of.
Proposed Shelf
Hyper Local Re-use Center
(Group Project by Environmental Design Students)
The Research:
Moray Waste Busters (MWB) is a community charity that focuses on waste reduction through recycling and reusing donated items like furniture, electronics, and clothing. By giving these items a new purpose, MWB contributes to sustainability by reducing landfill waste. Through educational efforts and outreach, MWB plays a role in local environmental advocacy.
To gain insights into MWB’s operations, a stakeholder map was created based on primary and secondary research. The map helped categorize our interactions and data collection of the users to later create four personas, identifying their pain points and goals related to MWB’s drop-off area and shop. User interactions led to the extraction of key intervention points and thematic problems. A co-design workshop was held at MWB to collaborate with users on solutions, addressing issues like drop-off area redesign, weather protection, and store layout. Data was organized into scoping, engagement, and co-design categories.
The analysis revealed recurring themes, guiding the formation of recommendations. Notably, the drop-off area’s redesign was a primary concern throughout the investigation due to its consistent mention. The need for weather protection and a reimagined store layout emerged from observations, conversations, and volunteer experiences, demonstrating the importance of user-centered design in MWB’s journey towards enhanced sustainability.
Our Solution:
We decided to explore our solutions in 4 parts. This was done so that each part of the solution could be taken forward individually as per different paces and priorities. But when all the parts come together, they will enhance the overall experience of the users.
PART 01 – THE DROP-OFF SHELF: First, we wanted to increase the space in the collection point and make the process smoother.
PART 02 – THE DROP-OFF SPACE RE-PLAN: We have also identified an opportunity in the re-organization of the current space to create more space for the customers and staff at the drop-off area.
PART 03 – THE ROOFING: We found some alternative ideas to create a roof that would help the drop-off area be protected under weather conditions as well as provide space for the staff to move around to complete their tasks at ease.
PART 04 – THE STORE RESTRUCTURING: Re-structuring proposal for the area, if and when MWB were to open a branch of similar space and size.
For more detailed research process please read through the process journal.
Project Links
Proposed Shelf
