We Won’t Waste You:A research project to introduce waste and social sustainability in design thinking

The current ecological, economic and social crisis calls for a change in the paradigm of new product development. Considering the social responsibilities of designers, Design Studio FEUP is developing a research project within the master program of Product and Industrial (MDIP), entitled We Won’t Waste You (WWWY) in which students are challenged to develop products by using discarded materials in different contexts. One of the initiatives, in partnership with the City Council of Matosinhos, is OFICINA DESIGN which comprises two phases. The first phase is the development of an active teaching method where students can get in touch with sustainable requirements by designing products from discarded materials, while the second phase is the interaction between designers and vulnerable groups that will manufacture the products. This paper aims to present an overview of the projects and their role on the creation of a new design approach for the MDIP students. The project Pérolas de Matosinhos is described in detail.