Down at our HQ in Hastings, we are lucky to be surrounded by a veritable host of creative individuals. One of these is the fabulous Emily Allchurch, who works with photography as a material. Emily uses photographs and digital collages to reconstruct Old Master paintings and create contemporary narratives.
During the lockdowns of the pandemic, Emily had to work locally around her home in East Sussex, which resulted in a new series ‘Closer to Home’. This body of art explores landscape management and control, the threat from development, invasive plant species and detritus and more generally, how we interact with the landscape through tourism and recreation.
Her artwork sparked MYA Studio to think about how our catering designs impact the environment and how we can improve our impact. We’re questioning the standard points that have almost become monotonous with design; reclaim, repurpose, recycle, upcycle – all the cycles – and whilst these are still relevant and important, they often don’t address where the materials come from.
Can reusing materials become site-specific? It appears this hyperlocal approach is becoming popular with architects and design practices, who look to reuse materials found on site and from other local geographical surroundings or buildings. The benefits seem positive. Not only are you reducing waste but the goal is to minimise reliance on distant supply chains, thereby reducing environmental impact and promoting circularity.
Environmental Impact: By reusing local materials, the emissions for transporting goods are significantly lowered. This approach also reduces the demand for new raw materials, which often come at a high environmental cost.
Cultural Connection: Hyperlocal reuse creates designs inherently tied to their context. Using materials with a history or significance in the area helps to preserve cultural heritage and fosters a sense of identity and place. For instance, using bricks from a deconstructed local building can imbue new structures with a narrative continuity.
Economic Support: Sourcing materials close to the site can boost the local economy by supporting small businesses and reducing expenses related to material procurement. It also encourages a skill set focused on reuse and adaptation, which can create job opportunities and spur innovation in sustainable practices.
This all sounds great, right? However, using hyperlocal materials comes with its challenges. Availability and consistency of materials can be a concern, as can the need for specialised skills to adapt unconventional resources into new forms. Particularly in kitchen design, regulatory frameworks may not always accommodate certain reused materials, posing safety challenges.
Designers need to balance aesthetics and functionality with sustainability goals. This requires creative problem-solving and a willingness to experiment with non-traditional materials and construction techniques which can be timely and expensive.
As global awareness of environmental issues continues to grow, so too does the importance of sustainable design practices like hyperlocal material reuse. Future advancements may include innovative reuse techniques and more supportive policy frameworks, making this approach increasingly accessible and effective.
However, hyperlocal reuse is more than just recycling local materials, —it’s a philosophy that integrates sustainability, community, and creativity. By looking to our immediate surroundings for resources, we can craft spaces that are environmentally responsible and deeply connected to the places we inhabit.
Look out for our full piece on Emily’s artwork coming soon.