Youth Rethinking Design for a Sustainable Future - A Hands-On Workshop

This session will introduce pre-university students to the evolution of design thinking over the past decades and the growing importance of sustainable design. Students will explore, at a high level, how the way we think about designing products and processes has changed over time in response to evolving economic, social, and environmental priorities. The session will encourage students to look at familiar products from a different perspective and consider how thoughtful design choices can contribute to a more sustainable future. Following the introductory lecture, students will participate in a hands-on group challenge. Each team will be given a product and encouraged to apply sustainability and circularity principles to rethink its design and use. Students will work together to develop creative ideas and share their proposed solutions with the wider group. By the end of the session, students will have a better understanding of sustainable design and circular economy principles and how they can be applied to everyday products and processes. The activity will also encourage creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving, while inspiring students to recognize the role that their ideas and choices can play in shaping a more sustainable future.