Vision and Specifications: My vision for this project was to upcycle discarded bike wheels into a functional and aesthetically pleasing tensegrity structure that could also be utilized as a coffee table by adding a glass top. I developed the specifications for its function and form by choosing the tensegrity structure after realizing that the spokes of the bike wheel are purely tensile elements, and I could utilize them as is for the structure. The key specification that I self-imposed was that I would utilize only…

For good reason, industrial lighting aesthetics are all the rage these days. The sleek, modern design of industrial lighting fixtures can add an edgy touch to any space. However, these fixtures can often come with a hefty price tag. Luckily, with some DIY skills, it is easy to upcycle and create industrial lighting fixtures for a fraction of the cost. Industrial lighting can be used in a variety of spaces, from modern lofts and offices to rustic, farmhouse-style homes. The aesthetic pairs well with other…

For my upcycling project, I intended to create a piece that follows a pastoral aesthetic. This aesthetic is essentially meant to capture the feeling of springtime with softer colors and the portrayal of green fields during sunny days. My main inspiration for the palette of my piece was this photo that I found on the website depositphotos: In the end, I decided on creating a depiction of some grass around a wooden plank that would simulate a fencepost. On top of this, I wanted to…

Going into this project, I had a pretty good idea of what I was planning on making. Sadly, mother nature decided to turn the AC on this week, so I was unable to paint the planets in my piece by the official due date. Now, I was able to get a few hours over the freezing point so I was able to complete my project. First I sprayed my entire cardboard canvas with white to prime the surface. Then I used various spray paint colors…

This project was an absolute learning experience for me. I started with a cool idea and ended up with something not quite what I intended. So for those of you who haven’t read my previous post, this was my initial idea: Initially, I planned on having a terrarium in a tesseract enclosure made of wooden dowels, which in my opinion would represent travel back in time to when the earth was much greener. This concept was born from my love for lush greenery and the…

For my upcycle report, I pursued the aesthetic of organic architecture. I did this by creating a miniature house based on the aesthetic and using the Falling Water House by Frank Lloyd Wright as inspiration for the house. I made the house and base out of cardboard. I used a broken flower pot as a water feature representing waves or ripples in the river and rocks to blend in with the nature theme. I used wooden sticks as highlights on the house as well as…

My first inspiration for this project came from the material itself. Since the goal of this project is to upcycle, I started by thinking about sources of waste in my life. This led me to want to base my project around bike tubes. I was also inspired by the fact that I don’t own a camping- chair, so it seemed like a no-brainer to combine both of these sources of inspiration and make a chair out of bike tubes. Functionally, I wanted my chair to…

For my upcycle project I wanted to take an old pair of converse shoes and embroider them with flowers in addition to some other shapes. I had never embroidered before so this project was a bit outside of my skillset and took a bit of trial and error to get good at. It took a lot of practice to figure out the right stitching pattern to use and by messing around with it I ended up doing a variation of a chain stitch. This project…

Disclaimer: As of this posting, this project is not done, as I hurt my wrist and had to slow down in order to prevent further injury, but I intend to continue with this project until I am finished.  For this project, I challenged myself to only use upcycled materials or items I already owned. This hindered me a bit since I wanted to paint the object in a pastel sort of design mimicking the Venice streets, so it looked like the two clowns were fighting…

My final product is an arching interactive sculpture piece consisting of my PTFE Joiners, tubing, all fastened together using Skadis. Click here to read my blog post

For my upcycle project, I chose to get my inspiration from the biophilic aesthetic. I like this aesthetic because I visually like modern styles, but find that greenery and being around living things is very stress-relieving. I chose to create a pencil holder because it is something that I would use every day and it also located on my desk next to windows, so it could support plant life. With it being on my desk, I thought this was a really appropriate place to have…

Inspiration I have always longed for creating something aesthetically appealing from minimalistic resources, as it speaks to the attitude of artist and one’s passion to create art rather than focus being on the materials one is using to create art. Although, I did decided to build “Sculptures out of Cardboard” out of constraints rather than choice, I had this earlier as my second option. Due to some unforeseen circumstances (I hurt my ankle bone during a practice Sparring session for Muay Thai), I was not…

My inspiration for this project came from my love of music and retro styles, as well as my desire to implement nature and greenery into everyday objects and environments. I began creating my artifact by sketching concepts of what I wanted to produce and speaking with staff at the manufacturing resources around campus to determine the feasibility and timeline of this project. I then measured and divided the guitar neck into three sections and used an assortment of bandsaw blades to separate the neck into…

For my Upcycle Project I made a set of wall plates for my parents house in Vermont. The plates are meant to match and further the modern farmhouse aesthetic already present in the home with its vaulted ceiling, exposed wooden rafters, and old farm and industrial equipment repurposed as household furniture. I started this project with two spalted maple logs, after knocking the bark off I cut them down using a bandsaw with a large fence into sheets roughly 5″ wide and 1/4″ thick. Then,…

My inspiration for this design comes from several sources. Primarily, however, my inspiration comes from seeing 3D topographic maps and the industrial aesthetic. Both of these things have appealed to me for quite some time, so I though I would try to incorporate them into this project. Large sources of inspiration were the topographic relief created by Makendo and the blended biophilic and industrial chic aesthetics in the 1 Hotel in Brooklyn (below). The fern wall of the hotel also inspired me to add greenery…

. Here follows the process of manufacturing what turned out to be more of a nightmarish token than a nightmare obelisk. Below is the sand mixture used to make the mold, about 90% strained play sand, and 10% crushed bentonite clay. . . Once mixed, moistened, and compacted the casting sand mixture held together surprisingly well. The image shown below was taken after the casting was removed, however, and has some damage from the molten aluminum. I also, after compressing the sand-clay mixture, carved some…

[1] Bonsai Tree created by twisting together scrap telephone cable   Inspired by some videos I had seen circulating online, I decided to craft a Bonsai Tree using recycled telephone cable. This process started by sorting the tangled nest of telephone cable I purchased from Art Parts into manageable braids that I could twist together. To maintain their structural integrity while twisting them, I created a “jig” from scrap MDF, drilling holes for each of the braids to be threaded through. When I first twisted…

For my Upcycle project, I decided to make a collection of items with rustic aesthetics out of wine bottles. This aesthetic I was trying to achieve feeds off the scored and broken glass edges of the glass cut and the natural tones of the bottle colors. The final products can be seen in the two images above and the image of the clear wine glass below. Figure 1 – Earth Tones Figure 2 -Wine Bottle Candle Example I decided to look into glass cutting to achieve…

I have always found it fascinating the way trends seem to come in and out of fashion. The return of tie dye, short shorts and vans from the 80s, baggy graphic t-shirts and small sunglasses from the 90s, and most recently, I have noticed a huge resurgence of Y2K fashion trends, including the return of the legendary cargo pant. I am personally a big fan of these comfy, utilitarian garments and think that they have played a very interesting role in the return of looser…

Background and Inspiration: My inspiration for this project was the many tensegrity tables others have built. I have come across many of these like the ones below, many use wood but some metal for the surfaces, and rope, chains, or rubber bands can make up the tension strings to uphold the upper half of the table. I thought this would be a great idea for my project because these double as a practical piece of furniture to be able to hold things on both surfaces…

If you have been following my project through it’s development you will notice the final product is pretty different from the initial idea. I changed the project from a upcycled wooden desk light to a laser cut cardboard hanging light. This was done because the wood that I had available was not great and Josh had some worried about bringing it into the shop. After that I decided to make a hanging light out of cardboard that was going to be recycled because it is…

I work as a mountain guide part time on the weekends, which means I have a fair amount of gear to maintain and catalogue. I live in a small space, and need to be really efficient with my space, so I want to better organize my gear closet. Currently, I just have a handful of hooks screwed to my closet door that I can hang gear on to keep it off my floor. In terms of aesthetic, I’ve spend a fair amount of time working…

For my Upcycle Project I created a jewelry holder out of cardboard in the shape of a ferris wheel. The jewelry holder spins to simulate a ferris wheel. I based the aesthetic of my ferris wheel off of two vintage wood post cards I have. These two postcards are the inspiration for the colors I chose and the clouds I painted on the ferris wheel.  Here is a photo of my final project holding earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and rings, The colors and clouds are based…

Braided wire art is a form of artistic expression in which wires are twisted, woven or braided to create intricate patterns and shapes. This type of art is often used to create jewellery, sculptures, and decorative items. Braided wire art can be created using a variety of different wire materials such as copper, silver, and gold, as well ass other types of metals and alloys. The wires are typical thin and flexible, which makes them ideal for shaping and manipulating into various forms and designs.…

Project Vision My vision was to design and build a light and functional bike fender to keep mud and water off my back. I derived specifications for the design to give me some constraints to work under. These were broken into two categories; form and function. The form specifications include matching the style of my bike, and capturing a minimalist aesthetic. Minimalism refers to a design in which nothing extra is added that doesn’t add function to the design. I chose this aesthetic as I…

Upcycle Turner’s Cube Desk Toy Alex Kelling Desk Toy Aesthetic Desk toys are small, fun little objects to tinker or fidget with as well as having a visually appealing look. They sit on the desk to add personality and distinction to the office work who occupies it. A Google image search reveals what define the aesthetic of ‘Desk Toy’. I characterize this aesthetic as having the qualities of sleek, shiny, bare or polished metal, and simple in design. The desk toy can either be static…

I’m pretty happy with how my project turned out. In my last post I was finishing up with the outline sketch of the base. Since then I have changed some original plans that I had for the project. Originally I planned on making a model of the entire EC but found that cutting out all the cardboard pieces was very time consuming. I decided to only model the main building and part of the court yard. During the construction of my model I was scared…

  Curated Interior My inspiration for this project was the aesthetic of repurposed Industrial living spaces. I drew largely from a Pinterest Board that I had started recently. The board centers around the industrial aesthetic. When contemplating materials for my project I cross-referenced a lot of the pins and looked for common aspects. Those common aspects are exposed metal (often black), dark and muted wood tones, and generally exposed utilities, alongside warm lighting tones. Plants and greenery are also used frequently to offset the mechanical…

As I talked about in my last post, for my artifact, I chose to create a bird from a variety of recycled materials. This idea was inspired by several different artists who have done similar things using scrap metal and other materials. I began my project by researching and sketching different kinds of birds and looking at specific features of them that I wanted to copy. One of the things I wanted to do with my project was experiment with the different textures of the…

My project was most definitely a learning experience. The final knot was not as pretty as I wanted it to look like, and was a little messy looking but overall, but I do like it. As can be seen in the pictures above and below, the knot does look loose and messy compared to the way the actual knot is supposed to look. However, I am not too upset with this because of the difficulties I ran into to when making this project. After many…

After a month’s time, which included ideation, sketching, collection, and fabrication, my upcycling final product is complete. My design is a double-decker plant potter that conforms to the 35mm photo collage aesthetic.  Inspiration My journey began with the exploration of a specific aesthetic. For this I chose, what I deemed, the “BRTHR aesthetic”. BRTHR is a duo of filmmakers, Kyle  Wightman, and Alex Lee. BRTHR has gained acclaim both in pop culture and niche internet groups from their combination of vaporwave, cyberpunk, retro film grading,…

For my upcycling project, I decided that I wanted to create a floor lantern. However, as I worked on it, I had to make a couple of changes here and there; and this is normal, I believe. Sometimes, things don’t work out as you work on something, and you have to change it up a bit or improvise. Nonetheless, I still have a lantern. Inspirations katagami stencil and seigaiha waves I wanted to employ a Japanese aesthetic (I talk more about it here). The aesthetic…

As this upcycling project started, I began to wonder what I could do to develop my architectural skills. With a fascination for residential homes and contemporary design, a small-scale model seemed like the emerging leader for my design process. While I did know I wanted to create a house, I had yet to know if I would be designing my own or modeling an existing structure. After much consideration of the time restraints and materials on hand, I decided it would be more efficient to…

For my upcycling project, I designed a cat house with a 70’s theme. I am also gifting my project to my coworker, who was looking to purchase a cat house! The 70’s era was very funky and groovy, filled with warm colors and overall happiness. This was an aesthetic that really stood out to me, so I chose it for my project. The 70’s era was described as “bell bottoms, shag rugs, mustaches, and late-night disco. Graphic spirals and flowers, neatly stacked onto wallpaper in…

My upcycling project involved upcycling a used Don Julio 1942 bottle and a stripped down lamp into a Flower Lamp. Unfortunately, some components, such as the copper sheet for the flowers, had to be bought. My main difficulties were drilling the bottle and cutting the flower petals. If I were to do it again, I would cut the petals larger and more uniform. https://www.aesdes.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/video1782448267.mp4

An Upcycled Flower Press By Aidan Shelburne Please Note: Due to server issues I wasn’t able to upload quite all of the photos for this post, please view the second link for all the photos and a presentation with more design tools. I’ll edit in the photos once the server cools off. Google Drive link to my presentation: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Sk-sSVO_pI-aAFeC046ThCpPM0Mlg90z/view Link to just the Google Slides, no commentary: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1xlH4pVbO4c1SuLuXwlWkhiQjRT1EzKr5xjTj-ml5PjQ/edit?usp=sharing Inspirations: I was inspired by installation art because it displays the artifacts of it’s creation and makes…

Summary My Upcycle project has concluded with a final design of a gothic-inspired table lamp made out of animal bones, recycled lamp and cardboard. I’m happy with the final design and aesthetic, and I also look forward to continuing working on the project. I believe it has potential to become a finished product after an investment of significantly more time. Process This project began in 2019 when I saw some bones in a ditch near a hiking trail in a hunting area in New Mexico.…

  Inspiration I have always had the influence of carpentry in my life, my father is a very skilled woodworker and craftsman, and there is always something coming out of his woodshop. I also know how to whittle, thanks to the many summers spent at Boy Scout camps, and it is a mostly peaceful and creative hobby. I like the idea of things being natural, and done by hand, which is something that we seem to be moving away from as a society at large.…

https://www.aesdes.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/video1728211881.mp4 If you have any questions that weren’t answered please comment them below!

Scope and Purpose: The goal of this project was to use upcycled materials to create a fanny pack-style bag in a Gorpcore design aesthetic. Background: Gorpcore is a fashion trend that combines the elements of outdoor clothing with streetwear and fashion. The aesthetic is typically comprised of versatile, functional, and durable clothing items such as waterproof shell jackets, puffer jackets, hiking pants, etc. The common theme is clean, sleek, sharp edges, and striking colors and tones. Much of the gorpcore wear is in the range…

The goal of this project was to make a functional hammer out of free materials to practice both my metal and wood working skills. The result of this project is a functionalist hammer which utilizes multiple materials and many manufacturing techniques. The Head started out as a piece of low carbon steel round stock which was sleeved in steel tubing; to secure the two pieces together, two holes were drilled for rivets and a third was made to fit the handle. The rivets were made…

An Introduction: The Coffee House Aesthetic is one close to my heart, as I am a massive fan of coffee houses. From big brands like Starbucks to locally owned shops, the decor changes ever so slightly, but the characteristics remain largely the same. The earthen and natural tones, the smell of coffee beans in the air, and the smooth music over the radio; this is the aesthetic I want to focus upon, and capture with my piece. An example of the coffee house aesthetic. Resource…

Intro and Inspirations: I had a hard time initially coming up with a project I wanted to upcycle. I was thinking I would use scrap metal and other similar materials for my project. At some point during the project I remembered my brother had this decommissioned grenade which was made to look like a fly that he got during a vacation years and years ago. I always thought it was cool and wanted to make something similar to this with my own twist to it.…

For my upcycling design project, I chose to recreate a Xatu Pokémon only using recycled cans as my resource. The final product is shown in the featured image and below. The original aesthetic I was going for was low poly, however there were a few complications. One of them was that low poly uses only a few shades of color, and adds details by different angles and manipulating the lighting. As I was using recycled cans, it was difficult to try and isolate only a…

I would like to talk about my explanation of the word upcycle first then explain my project.The aesthetic I would like to use in my Upcycle project is Minimalism. Well, to be more specific, a Scandi Style stationery that I can decorate on my desk every day. I would like to cut a piece of solid wood and make a nice-looking design smartphone stand by myself. I have done quite a few paper sketches about its look and cut the piece of material just for…

I have always wanted to make a Japanese boro style denim tapestry, so I thought this project would be the perfect opportunity as it is an upcycle. These kinds of tapestries were created by peasants in Japan during the early 1800s. As items became worn they would get repaired with mismatching fabrics due to a short supply of materials. Boro style is heavy on the arts and crafts aesthetic because it was created out of necessity and resourceful thinking. This also led to quilts and…

For my up-cycling project I created a small soldering table. My up-cycling project aesthetic was Cybernetic Punk. It focuses on a hectic state of being terminally online, with motifs such as chaotic wires and cables, old computers, and confusing symbols and jargon. I choose this aesthetic for 2 main reasons. One is that I have a host of old circuit boards, wires, and electronic components at my disposal. The other is that I find this aesthetics commentary on how harsh poorly designed digital and physical…

Welcome to the final part in this plant pot saga! Unfortunately, making the whole VCR into a potted plant seemed out of reach for the time I had left. Granted, time management was never my strong suit, but I did manage to turn the VHS tape inside into a succulent pot. Don’t worry, I still have the guts of the tape, so one day I can figure out what exactly is on it, but for now the shell of the tape now serves as a…

The construction of the biophilic violin picture frame was very successful. There are more design elements that will be added in the future; however, due to the constraints of the due date, I was not able to implement all of them The process shifted since the last post into a 4-step construction process Step 1: Taking apart the violin As mentioned in previous post, this consisted of removing the front plate by breaking the glue seal. This process used less than ideal tools however resulted…

  Inspirations: My inspiration for my project stemmed from the materials I had available to me in terms of objects I could upcycle. I had quite a few obsolete electronics which I knew I wanted to utilize in my project. Of those, I was drawn to an old keyboard as I thought it would offer the most options for upcycling. I was especially interested in using the keys to create something as they were all square and so had more flexibility in how they could…

After researching Dadaism for the Aesthetic Exploration post, I became inspired by one of the artists I found; Dash Snow. I really liked the way he arranged his collages and how some of the themes he created were easily identifiable. (1) The End of Living and the Beginning of Survival, Dash Snow, 2008. (2) Moran Moran, Dash Snow, 2006. I wanted to create a set of collages similar in style to the work of Dash Snow. I thought making multiple collages with different themes would…

For my upcycle project i had decided on doing something with a fractal burn/rustic aesthetic. I decided to pursue this aesthetic on a popular Nintendo character, Kirby, I chose this because I have always liked the rustic aesthetic mainly because it gives a warm and cozy feeling to things. I also noticed that the rustic aesthetic seems to be a lot of upcycling as well and imagined it would be the perfect aesthetic for this project. Materials Needed: 6 scraps of 2×4 Wood glue mixture…

Beer Can Bird Sculpture A contemporary sculpture by Nicolas Garzione Aesthetic Choice Contemporary sculpture is a broad category of art that falls under both modern sculpture and contemporary art. Contemporary art simply describes art made after the second half of the 20th century. I could not find an exact description for the aesthetic I had in mind. It is usually described as “mixed media” and “found object”, both referring to the material being the defining feature of the art style. Mixed media describes sculptures made…

Vision: My vision for this project comes mainly from my passion for high performance vehicles. This has always been at the forefront of my academic ambition and the reason why I went into mechanical engineering. I have always pictured myself in the automotive motorsports industry: Formula 1, Moto GP, and the likes. Mechanical Engineering is something that embodies that. When I think of Mechanical Engineering down to its core, I think of nuts and bolts. I drew my inspiration for this project from that very…

As said in previous posts, my upcycling project consists in building a wall hanger with spark plugs and wood following an Industrial design aesthetic. I have been inspired by my appreciation of mechanical components of car engines and by some internet images I found which are referenced in my first upcycling post. As a first step I gathered the materials needed: 8 old spark plugs from my car and a piece of wood I found in the garage of the home I am currently living…