Circular Economy Hub held Refuturing “Material: Dialoguing with matter. Redefining value through circular design as response”

Circular Economy Hub, operated by Harch, has rebranded its monthly online learning program “Circular X,” which explores future visions of the circular economy across industries and fields, as “Refuturing.” The program has launched as a new series and continues to be held monthly as a space for dialogue to reimagine the future.

The theme for March was Refuturing “Material: Dialoguing with matter. Redefining value through circular design as response.”

Refuturing: Material: Dialoguing with materials. Redefining value through circular design as response

Tracing the origin of the word “material” leads us to “mater,” meaning mother. The diverse materials that the Earth, the origin of all life including humans, has accumulated and continues to generate over long periods of time support our civilization, industries, and daily lives in both visible and invisible ways.

However, as the global population is projected to reach approximately 10 billion by 2050 and global resource use is expected to nearly double by 2060, the decoupling of economic growth from material consumption has not been realized at all, despite the global call for a circular economy. Tensions surrounding resource constraints continue to rise, and material security has become a key motivation for governments and companies to promote the circular economy. At this moment, it may be necessary to reconsider the meaning of “materials” as resources entrusted to humanity by the Earth and to rebuild our relationship with them.

One of the three principles of the circular economy proposed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation is to circulate products and materials at their highest value. But what does “value” mean in this context, and for whom is that value defined? Without understanding the value that materials provide, it is not possible to fully realize the principles of the circular economy.

In this edition of Refuturing, the session explored the relationship between humans and nature through the lens of materials. Through dialogue with materials, participants examined the essence of value and considered the potential of circular design not as control over nature but as a response to it.

Guests included Koji Nakagawa of AGC Inc. a materials manufacturer advancing a glass circulation project in Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture in collaboration with local businesses (reference article: Circular Economy Hub “A future where glass circulates within the region starting from Suwa. AGC’s approach to place based circular design”), and Chikara Ninomiya of Aoishima Inc. who develops the product brand “AJI PROJECT” using finely crafted Aji stone, a premium granite once favored by sculptor Isamu Noguchi.

Nakagawa has been conducting demonstration projects to collect and recycle window glass in collaboration with local builders and recycling businesses in Suwa (demonstration project ), while also working with the glass museum “SUWA Glass no Sato” on glass production using sand from Lake Suwa (article ). Through glass that reflects the characteristics of the Suwa region rather than standardized transparency, his work raises questions about future forms of industry that harmonize nature and human activity.

Ninomiya, while producing refined Aji stone products highly regarded by designers around the world, also explores the value of materials through the project “READY MADE ,” which reinterprets leftover stone fragments from the production process as sculptural works.

With these two guests, who engage deeply with nature and materials through their work, the session explored the essence of value revealed through dialogue with materials and considered visions of a circular future in which humans and nature coexist in harmony.

Reference articles

Reading the following in advance was recommended to help participants enjoy the event more.

• Circular Economy Hub “A future where glass circulates within the region starting from Suwa. AGC’s approach to place based circular design (in Japanese)
• Sozai no Miryoku Lab “Aji stone and AJI PROJECT. Refining the beauty and future of stone in the land of Isamu Noguchi (in Japanese)

Keywords related to the event

This event was closely connected to the following keywords.

#Materials #Glass #Regeneration #Recycling #AjiStone #Making #Sculpture #Readymade #Terroir #CircularDesign #CircularEconomy #Circulation #Creativity #Art #Culture #MaterialFutures #Defuturing #Refuturing

About the Refuturing event series

A monthly event series developed by Circular Economy Hub. The series invites thought leaders and practitioners who are driving the transition toward a sustainable circular future, exploring new ways of circular design that question linear growth narratives from diverse perspectives and reweave relationships between humans and nature, as well as between the present and the future.

* What is Refuturing? As challenges such as climate change and resource constraints intensify, there is growing concern that current social systems may be limiting the possibilities of future generations. This situation is sometimes described as “Defuturing.” Refuturing refers to a way of thinking and practice that questions the underlying assumptions of existing economic and social systems, institutions, and values that diminish the future, while repairing relationships between people and the world and reconstructing alternative and more desirable futures.

Organizer: Circular Economy Hub

Circular Economy Hub is a specialized media platform on the circular economy operated by Harch. It provides the latest trends, case studies, insights, events, and workshops related to the circular economy both in Japan and globally. Through the expertise of its editorial team located in Japan and around the world, as well as its networks and practical experience, it supports companies and municipalities in advancing circular design, circular business, and the transition to circular cities.

URL: https://cehub.jp (in Japanese)

Support for circular city transition for municipalities by Circular Economy Hub

• Circular City Transition Guide: Circular city transition guide (in Japanese)
• Circular City Transition Indicator: Circular city transition indicator (in Japanese)

For more information

https://cehub.jp/event/refuturing-2/ (in Japanese)