BLUE² is a collection of objects made from old PVC-swimming pools. By applying craft and attention designer Birgit Rijsmus aims to revalue an otherwise worthless and polluting material. Inspired by precious materials like porcelain, BLUE² sees the materials as equal where the value lies in the craft
Plastic as a craft
Where plastics are often not seen as a material of high value anymore, BLUE² wants to show that it has great potential to be a craft. Here Birgit positions herself as a craftsman, where the most important factors of adding value are putting in knowledge about handling the material, along with lots of hours of handcrafting. Even though made from waste, the techniques developed specifically for this material transform a swimming pool into an object to be admired and cherished. This project highlights the importance of shifting our perception of waste, and helps to start seeing it as a sustainable source that offers innovation and possibilities. It shows that beauty lies in the craft, not the material.