‘Can a restaurant WASTE NOT…’

Interior design has always relied heavily upon traditional raw materials. This over-consumption of finite resources is unsustainable. To what extent can design help us to re-evaluate our perception of reuse and the possibilities of waste? Combining the staggering estimates of food waste generated per annum within both households and the hospitality sector, can we as designers utilise this excess, showcasing circular design within day-to day practice without compromising on design quality, creativity or user experience.

Ella’s project ‘WASTE NOT’ aims to re-evaluate our view on waste and our reliance on traditional raw materials. Designing a zero-waste restaurant and developing a number of biomaterials using food waste and by-products, Ella aims to promote circular design within the built environment and to celebrate waste as a resource. Situated within the former Siemens Brother’s Factory in Woolwich the restaurant design salvages and repurposes the existing architecture, industrial language and colour palette with waste reuse at the forefront of the menu, materiality and restaurant programme. Utilising the waste streams from the local residents and restaurant’s kitchens the programme aims to create a unique and educational dining experience. The Restaurant is divided into three kitchens each with a really restricted menu and each producing a specific waste stream that can be utilised to create new products and materials. The circular kitchens and integrated workshops allow the diners to observe the food from its raw state, to their plate, to the manufacture of the waste produce into materials showcased around the restaurant.

With thanks to, The Burberry Design Scholarship