Open Call:
Circular Design: Material Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Imagine a chair made of recycled paper that “blossoms under the rain if it is ever trashed” (Bits to Atoms – Lebanon). Imagine a worm that decomposes otherwise non-biodegradable plastic and turns it into eatable nutrients as well as a new form of sustainable bio-plastic (circology - Germany). Imagine a textile production site that not only produces sustainable textile but purifies the water used in the production process and enriches it with nutrients (Cradle to Cradle – Germany/USA). Imagine clothes for children that grow with them, as they grow (petit pli - UK). Designing in a sustainable and circular way that fruitfully contributes to bio-diversity and the environment is not just a dream, but actually possible!
This program equips emerging designers, creatives and entrepreneurs from various backgrounds such as architecture, fashion, product or packaging design who are based in either Jordan, Lebanon or Iraq, with the knowledge and guidance to develop and apply sustainable materials in various contexts and turn their ideas and approaches into sustainable products and businesses.
Through weekly online workshops and experience inputs, combined with offline field trips and practical challenges, the program provides an overview of recent trends from the field of sustainable material innovation and entrepreneurship as well as hands-on practical techniques! We invite you to first unthink conventional knowledge while learning about new approaches from urban mining (recycling and upcycling) to bio-materials and material processing. We then guide you in the process of specifying your own ideas using design research methodologies and developing them into a sustainable business model, from ideation to business planning and financing. A final design fair at the end of the program in Amman provides you with the unique opportunity to showcase your work, exchange knowledge and ideas with peers and network with relevant stakeholders from the entire region. For more details, please see the program below.
The program is free of charge and travel costs will be covered for the selected participants. The program also includes a small stipend for each participant to cover production costs. Participants are required to commit to being present in all training modules, complete the required tasks and deliver a final project to be exhibited during the design fair in Amman.
This program is realized in the framework of takween. takween is an integrative creative industry hub which aims to support designers and creative entrepreneurs in Jordan through a series of learning opportunities and community-building initiatives. The hub has been initiated as a collaboration between the Goethe-Institut and platform27 in 2018. Focusing on creative growth, takween offers learning modules, creative mentorship, residencies, train-the-trainer programs, grants and networking opportunities, as well as workspaces and facilities for designers in a creative space in Jabal Amman.
Who can apply?
- Designers, creatives or entrepreneurs with an interest in material innovation and sustainable businesses
- Applicants have to be based in Jordan, Lebanon or Iraq
- Applicants must be able to participate in the entire 4-month program, including the exhibition in September in Amman
- A degree in design, entrepreneurship or any related technical field (architecture, manufacturing, engineering, business management etc.) or an equivalent professional experience of a minimum of 1 – 2 years (freelancer or employed) is an advantage
- Proficiency in either Arabic or English is a requirement (simultaneous translation will be provided)
How to apply:
Submission of the online application form in English or Arabic by 17.04.2022
Required information to be provided in the application are:
- CV
- Portfolio or career references: qualifications and previous activities/ projects performed in the last 1-2 years as a proof of expertise in the creative industries
- Motivation
- Description of an initial project idea in the field of sustainable material innovation and impactful entrepreneurship
Please note: Once you submit your application, please make sure that you receive an email confirming that your application has been submitted. Applicants must apply through the application form only. Applications will not be accepted by any other delivery method.
How do we select?
Participants will be selected by a panel of distinguished judges on the basis of creative talent, entrepreneurial vision, accomplishments, and the potential for future achievements. No individual feedback can be provided.
The selection criteria are as follows:
Background: relevance and experience
- How relevant is the candidate's portfolio and professional background to sustainable material innovation, the application of sustainable materials in context and impactful entrepreneurship?
- How beneficial would the program be for the candidate in terms of skills and development of the candidate’s professional career?
- Does the candidate have the minimal experience needed to keep up with the program?
Professional aspirations:
- Quality, relevance and innovativeness of initial design/business idea in the field of material innovation and sustainable entrepreneurship
- Potential impact
- Passion for making a difference
- Entrepreneurial aspirations
Capacity to commit:
- Does the candidate have other commitments that could affect their dedication to the program?
- Does the candidate have the capacity (time-wise) to fully commit to the program?
- How likely is the candidate to drop out?
Key dates:
- Application deadline: 17.04.2022
- Announcement of selected participants: 26.04.2022
- Start of the program: 8.05.2022
- Final exhibition in Amman: 20.09.2022 - 25.09.2022
General Information:
- Language of the program is English and Arabic.
- All modules are taught online on Zoom throughout the four month period.
- About 3 field trips will be organized in parallel to the online program. They will take place offline in each country (Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon) separately. Exact dates will be communicated at a later stage.
- In addition, individual tasks/challenges to be accomplished offline will be provided throught the four months
- The final exhibition, that will take place in Amman, requires the participants from Lebanon and Iraq to travel to Amman (costs will be covered)
- Weekly commitment: approx. 15-17 hour/week.
If you have any further questions, please contact: takween@goethe.de / lovis.maj.bartholain@goethe.de
Program overview:
The 4-month training program will take place in a hybrid format and is structured in the following way:
Week 1-4: Unthinking – New approaches in Material Innovation (Beginning of May to Beginning of June)
During the first four weeks participants will learn how to unthink and absorb new possibilities in the field of material innovation and sustainable materials applied in different contexts. Two online training sessions will take place each week in addition to one field visit per week. The online sessions will last for around three hours. They consist of expert lectures and experience talks from stakeholders in the field. Each week, participants will be given a practical challenge to be completed and presented at the beginning of the following week. The topics covered are as follows:
Week 1: Sustainable materials: Specifications, characteristics, distinctions and limitations
Week 2: Circular economy: Urban mining, upcycling Anthropocene and recycling construction waste
Week 3: Bio-Economy: Biobased innovations including growing bio materials, composites and bioplastics, regenerated cellulose etc.
Week 4: Processing: Digital prototyping, fibre processing, composites, regenerated organics, pressing etc.
Week 5-12: Design Project and Entrepreneurship (Beginning of June to Mid-August)
From week 5 to week 12 participants will use what they have learnt during the first four weeks and apply design and entrepreneurship methodologies to propose a project. Each week will consist of three online sessions (at times a field visit might be included) of around three hours each. The sessions will consist of expert lectures, experience talks from stakeholders in the field as well as practical workshops. Each week, participants will be given practical challenges to be completed and presented at the beginning of the following week. The topics covered are as follows:
Week 5: Project discovery: How everything learnt fits into the participants own practice
Week 6: Design Research: Uncovering a challenge to solve
Week 7: Ideation: Design individual project idea.
Week 8: Market Analysis: Create a project proposal with high level facts and figures
Week 9: Final draft of participants’ individual project proposals – Project start
Week 10: Project development and mentorship sessions
Week 11: Business visioning and mentorship sessions
Week 12: Project development and mentorship sessions
Week 13: Small business financing and mentorship sessions
Week 14- 16: Finalization of projects and mentorship sessions (August)
Please note: The details of the final project deliverables and the outlook of the exhibition will be decided within the course of the program.
Design Fair in Amman: 20. September 2022 – 25. September 2022
The final design fair will take place between the 20th and the 25th of September in Amman. Activities during the fair such as networking events, talks, hackathons, workshops etc. will provide a unique chance for the participants of the program to meet, exchange knowledge and network with other designers and relevant stakeholders from the region.