(1.1) Circular Youth Culture

In the Circular Youth Culture project, two classes from HTL Spengergasse transformed their school day into a workshop for sustainable design. In a half-day format led by design mediators from the Institute of Design Research Vienna (IDRV), students explored how our material culture can be shaped in socially and ecologically responsible ways.

The starting point was personal everyday objects brought in by the students themselves. Through discussions and creative methods, they reinterpreted these items as reflections of their identities, cultural backgrounds, and consumption habits. This emotional connection enabled a deep and often surprising exchange: Why do we hold on to certain things? What do they say about us? And how might they be designed differently in a future-oriented world?

In the second part of the workshop, students developed their own design ideas based on different frameworks: one class worked with the principles of the circular economy, the so-called “10Rs” such as Refuse, Reuse, and Repair, while the other class was guided by the Circular Design Rules.

To conclude, the students captured their ideas in the form of prototypes documented through photography. The resulting visual collection sparked a broader dialogue about how creative ideas can lead to tangible impulses for responsible, future-oriented design.