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CONSUMER CULTURE HAS disconnected us from the things

we own. We are immersed in a cycle of buying commodities and
producing waste. Replacing and/or buying new things instead of
fixing, reusing, and making has become the obvious solution. In
this project, my partner Sie Gal and I aimed to bring back these
ideas by confronting individuals with the waste they produce

and to motivate them to rethink their role in a sustainable future.
Through a co-creation process with five-year-old Devon and his
family, we created an interactive object named Jobo. Jobo is an
assembly game that allows users to practice upcycling in which
plastic bottles can be connected to form structures. It gives used
products a second lifespan and introduces children as well as
adults to Do-It-Yourself (D1y) culture. The project aims to present
the concept of upcycling in a fun and engaging way to people of
all ages, allowing them to rethink the role of waste in their every-
day lives. In this paper, we examine the process of creating and
implementing a behaviour-changing design through co-creation.
The paper also reflects on the effectiveness of existing methods
for teaching sustainability and proposes the implementation of an
educational system driven by products.

BACKGROUND

After proposing a series of broad concepts and directions to
Devon’s parents and a design studio class led by Christian Blyt at
Emily Carr, we found that the most popular concept was one where
we would incorporate an upcycling aspect into our interactive
object because of the educational quality. Sie and I started our

research into existing activities and designs aimed at the same goal.

We researched innovative activities in the Dry community as well
as recently popularized designs that incorporate upcycling. Addi-
tionally, having experienced some Dry activities in our youth that
promoted upcycling, we were curious to understand what made
some of these activities and designs more successful than others.
Designs that have efficiently implemented elements of upcy-
cling are often popular online and frequently featured on design

Scott Yu-Jan

JOBO

System Driven Products
through Upcycling

blogs, such as old magazines stacked to form stools and recycled
plastic bottles assembled to form chairs and planters. There was
a wide variety in terms of materials used and approaches taken;
we focused on the connection these concepts and designs created
with their users. Although these objects were featured on blogs
and may have become popular online due to their innovation, there
was undoubtedly an aspect missing that kept them from becoming
mainstream. In an article by Sheryl Nadler, who writes about the
process of creating Diy wearables, she discusses the satisfaction
that is gained from expressing individuality by wearing something
created through personal creativity and effort [2]. This aspect is
what is missing from upcycled furniture seen online—these objects
are either completely dependent on the user’s existing skills or
they are limiting and allow no room for the user to exercise their
creativity.

Another issue is that most of the results from upcycling-
themed projects have a rustic appearance to them. This may be
another reason why existing designs have failed to flourish. When
done poorly, upcycled objects are often seen as junk, which is less
socially acceptable when the object is used asa children’s toy [4].

CO-CREATION

On the first day of our meeting, we began with some drawing activ-
ities to understand Devon’s interests. An open-ended activity helps
people make things that express their thoughts and feelings [3]. We
learned about his interests in drawing, sports, and playing videog-
ames. After discussions with his parents, we also learned about
their values and hopes for a children’s toy. We went through Devon’s
toys with him as well as with his parents, discussing what they felt
was successful and what was not. From Devon’s parents’ perspec-
tive, they hoped for a toy that is not only educational but that also
allows for family involvement. After a meeting to discuss their
expectations, limits, and desires regarding toys, we began to gain
greater insight into their lifestyle. We determined the life cycle for
the average children’s toy in their household and, more importantly,

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