3. INVESTIGATION + IMPLEMENTATION
MASS CUSTOMIZATION PLASTICITY
Mass customization generates individuality within reproduction. It gives the consumer the ability to
be a part of the design process, redefining what it means to mass-produce an object. With advancements in
technology, no longer is “one size fits all” the standard, rather, collaboration is encouraged, and accessible to
the masses. This readily available and accessible technology not only allows for ease of customization, but it
keeps costs down relative to, if not at the same price as the standard. Mass customization allows for a new type
of architecture: familial yet independent, unbound with possibility.
The initial research of this proposal was based on investigating the history of mass customization in
architecture, with a focus on democratization and defects. Implementation of this research, led to the use of
plastic waste as a modern defect to be used in architecture. Democratization played a role in the procurement
and redistribution/ implementation of the waste.
Ultimately, a studio-wide research publication of individual chapters that explored their own idea of
“reproduction in architecture” was developed. Below, are links to both the studio publication, and solo chapter.
A link to the individual research chapter is located here. A link to the entire studio publication is located here.
Today, plastic products are ubiquitous; consequently, so is plastic waste. The United States produces
nearly 40 million tons of plastic waste annually, of which less than 10% is recycled. Encounters with plastic
debris have become so commonplace within the built environment that we often overlook the large-scale
and lasting effects of this man-made material on our urban and ecological systems. Current plastic recycling
operations tend to take place in closed-off facilities on the outskirts of the city—out of sight, out of mind. The
motto “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” appears to have fallen on deaf ears over the past decades, imploring a more
transparent and hands-on approach to plastics recycling that engages the collective imagination.
This project proposes a new educational framework for the recycling and recirculation of plastic
goods that seeks to re-connect city dwellers to their trash by placing the act of recycling front and center
within urban centers and public spaces. Working with existing models of compact and user-friendly recycling
equipment that could be transported inside service vehicles, the project proposes a series of miniature, curb-
side recycling centers that could be easily relocated and scaled to latch onto a range of existing urban
scenarios: from public plazas and market places to playgrounds, and laundromats. This proposed method of
participatory recycling gives visitors the opportunity to dispose of their plastic waste, learn more about urban
material waste-streams and take part in creating a public landscape centered around reuse.
4. THE OLD + THE NEW
inspection
uninvolved
standard end product
shred + wash
pelletize + mold/ form
float + separate
extrude filter + melt
individual donation
involved
custom end product
shred + wash
pelletize + mold/ form
float + separate
extrude filter + melt
5. MOVING INTO THE CITY
321 congress st.
parking lot
tremont st.
laundromat
boston public
market
