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Rebloom El Marc Exterior Modular by Victor Wu

Rebloom El Marc Exterior Modular by Victor Wu is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2023 A' Design Award de Ferro in Disseny de Productes Sostenibles, Projectes i Disseny Verd Competition Category.


FerroProducte Sostenible· 2023

Rebloom El Marc Exterior Modular

by Victor Wu

Client: Leafer Circular Design

A' Design Award de Ferro Winner in Producte Sostenible Category

Colors

The Design

About Rebloom El Marc Exterior Modular

Els components de distribució d'energia de Taiwan són cars i requereixen una substitució freqüent a causa de factors ambientals. reBloom ofereix una solució reutilitzant els braços creuats fora de servei en marcs exteriors duradors amb un processament mínim. El disseny modular permet una fàcil adaptació, ampliació i substitució de peces, donant lloc a la màxima vida útil dels components abans del reciclatge. Amb reBloom, podeu reduir els residus i estalviar costos alhora que garanteix una infraestructura fiable i resistent a la intempèrie.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Ferro

Rebloom El Marc Exterior Modular és un guanyador del guardó A' Design Award de Ferro, un reconeixement prestigiós concedit a bons dissenys que compleixen els requisits professionals i industrials esperats de creacions ben dissenyades. Els guanyadors de Ferro demostren una gran habilitat, una alta especialització, una comprensió experta i la capacitat creativa dels seus creadors. Es preveu que Rebloom El Marc Exterior Modular sigui una creació molt apreciada, admirada i estimada que és pràctica i innovadora. Aquest disseny guanyador del guardó A' Design Award de Ferro integra les millors pràctiques del sector i té característiques tècniques competents lligades al coneixement i al talent. Rebloom El Marc Exterior Modular és respectat per la seva minuciositat i està pensat per oferir millores en la qualitat de vida que ajuden a fer del món un lloc millor.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties
Due to humidity, typhoons, and earthquakes, Taiwan's power distribution relies on costly crossarm components regularly exchanged every decade.
reBloom extends the lifecycle of these decommissioned components by transforming them into sturdy and weather resistant outdoor frames, with little processing or additional parts. reBloom's modular design also means it is highly adaptable, extendable, and allows for easy part replacement - all of which further maximize component life before recycling.
Dimensions & Packaging
The inherent dimensions and features of the decommissioned utility crossarm components were integrated to reduce additional processing and material consumption.
Specs of the original crossarm components used in a reBloom set (mm): (a) 2.5 crossarms, hollow square beam 1800 x 750 x 750 (THK 2.5), (b) 8 crossarm braces, 800 x 400 (THK 6), and (c) 12 sets of square nuts and square head bolts, 25 x 25 x 100.
Dimensions of a reBloom section (mm): 825.5 (each section adds 737.5) x 1223.5 x 800 x 75mm.
Tags
circular economy, modular, decommissioned materials, joinery, fence, outdoor, frame, galvanized steel, product life, material lifespan
Production Technology
The crossarm components that reBloom utilizes are made from hollow, hot-dip galvanized steel beams, and have standardized dimensions and holes (punched via mass-production CNC machines). Little further processing is required to produce a reBloom set beyond some welding, bolt shortening, and assembly - especially when the reBloom design is incorporated during initial crossarm production (adding a few new holes). The standardized and modular design means it is easy to combine the decommissioned components into new forms, such as a fence, furniture structure, etc.
Design Challenge
The hardest design challenge overcome in reBloom was the integration of the square head bolts.
Small and uncommon, it would be wasteful to create a single-use tool for their tightening. The final design includes a simple 'n'-shaped piece that doubles to help users with the last few twists as well as to lock the structure. Additionally challenging was calculating the position of the crossarms' original holes such that the crossarm braces can be evenly spaced and require the least processing.
Research
We sought to design a second life for utility crossarm components, which are regularly decommissioned decades before degradation due to regulations.
Consulted factories told us that the material doesn't easily bend and that welding nullifies its weather resistance. We observed that mass production also required modularization and using existing specs. After brainstorming, we tested different joinery methods. The final design was praised by the utility company and showcased in several exhibits.
Inspiration
While on a visit to a utility company's waste stockpiles, we were struck by the prevalence of square head bolts, which are rarely seen in daily life. We wondered if making the format more accessible would give these discarded parts a chance to be reborn. This led us to create reBloom, a modular and adaptable design that extends the lifespan of various decommissioned components. Within reBloom, an ‘n’-shaped piece was designed to be both a wrench for the square head bolts and play an integral part of the final structure.
Project Duration
The project started in September 2020 and finished in January 2021 in Tainan, Taiwan. Afterwards, a physical exhibition and presentation was held in Taipei in May 2021 and Kaohsiung in March 2022.
Operation Flow
Due to the rarity of square head bolts nowadays, most people would lack the tools needed to install reBloom. This issue was solved with the inclusion of an 'n'-shaped piece that functions as an easily-held wrench during installation, and lastly integrates into the final structure as a lock between each reBloom frame segment. This design makes it easy for any person to build reBloom.
Patents
Copyrights belong to Victor Wu, 2020.
Image Credits
Image #1: Craig Bossley, Scenario, 2021.
Image #2: Victor Wu, Prototyping, 2020.
Image #3: Craig Bossley, Joint Closeup, 2021.
Image #4: Willy Chao, Setup, 2021.
Image #5: Victor Wu, Scenario Closeup, 2021.

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