Cohivetation (Cohabit + hive)

Design Research
Product Design
System Design
Circular Design
Design Strategy

This project explores the More-than-Human design approach, examining relationships between humans and natural living beings in co-living contexts. The concept addresses the lack of green space in urban residential areas, where people live in high-rise buildings - a stark contrast to my background, where most people have houses with gardens and space to grow plants.

The design focuses on pollinators as key agents of natural growth and expansion through pollination. As a designer, I posed the question: what if rewilding cities didn't require creating huge green spaces that are costly, but instead started by utilising small spaces like balconies and windows in apartment buildings?

Many people grow plants in their flats, but these are typically houseplants rather than native species.

While plant care isn't for everyone, popular houseplants like Monstera Deliciosa and Calathea have transformed us into 'plant parents.' However, the irony is that these tropical plants don't benefit our local ecosystems - they're decorative rather than functional, and most wouldn't survive outdoors in climates like the UK.

Disrupting unsustainable manufacturing process.

Our solution introduces a subscription business model that revolutionises manufacturing processes and redefines the relationship between users and furniture, dramatically improving circularity rates

We designed a sofa concept suitable for a subscription business model. The sofa is designed for disassembly, making it easier to deliver and save space in logistics, while enabling users to repair it themselves or return it to the shop for servicing.

The subscription model allows the company to reclaim materials when users no longer need the sofa, creating a circular economy. We identified the wood frame as the most valuable component for extending the sofa's lifespan—by reusing frames and replacing upholstery and fabric, the company can offer refreshed products while minimizing waste

Scale model build to explore the structure design and the joint mechanism to make it easy to repair and reuse

A modular frame that can be disassembled and upholstery that can be compactly stored

Engineered for measurable sustainability impact

Beyond conceptual design and storytelling, we engineered a solution with quantifiable environmental performance. Our proposal demonstrates technical rigor through detailed metrics: material circularity index, carbon footprint calculations, and full lifecycle impact assessment

Credit:

OWNE Team
Innovation Design Engineer:
Ruta C.
Agathe S
Ifeolouwa
Wigy R