Compound 13 Lab : rethinking waste and the politics of disposability - portfolio
- Submitting institution
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University of the West of Scotland
- Unit of assessment
- 34 - Communication, Cultural and Media Studies, Library and Information Management
- Output identifier
- 21179012
- Type
- Q - Digital or visual media
- Publisher
- -
- Month
- September
- Year
- 2020
- URL
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http://beta.uws.io/2020/03/01/ref-practice-based-research-portfolio-graham-jeffery/
- Supplementary information
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- Request cross-referral to
- -
- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- Yes
- Number of additional authors
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0
- Research group(s)
-
-
- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- Compound 13 Lab is a maker space set in Dharavi, an area of Mumbai that is one of the largest informal aggregations of (re)maker and (re)manufacturing facilities on the planet. The Lab operates as an artist/designer/maker/engineer residency programme using the materials and resources of the recycling industry as starting points for learning and teaching about ecological design and new technologies. The project explores a paradigm of ‘smart city’ where the technologically advanced city emerges from below. Outputs include a co-produced documentary film, Materials of Hope), a series of participatory artist residencies and chapters in an edited book exploring waste, knowledge politics and methodological innovation.
Through a series of increasingly ambitious GCRF-funded research projects involving deep collaboration between ACORN India and an interdisciplinary team of Indian and UK-based researchers, the project has built scale and reach leading to the permanent establishment of a digital learning space in a purpose built building in the heart of Dharavi. From this space, which under conditions of Covid-19 has to operate virtually as well as physically, the project continues to break new ground in research. It brings an experimental and ethical approach to the generation of knowledge using a wide range of digital and physical tools, from smartphones and audiovisual technologies to 3D printing, plastic re-manufacturing and design.
The learning from the project is being shared with key industry and policy partners in India, notably Imaginarium Pty and the Maharashtra Government, through partnership with arts venue and urban lab G5A and Shiv Nadar University. It aims to influence policy thinking around the value of the informal circular economy, the importance of investment in learning for most deprived citizens, and the huge contribution to the health, economy and waste reduction practices of the city made by informal recylers, despite their challenging working conditions.
- Author contribution statement
- -
- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
- -