This project is focused on the development of circular and sustainable playground equipment (PE), as the Netherlands and its municipalities have set targets to become a Circular Economy in 2050. Furthermore, the PE should also encourage children to play outside more and engage in physical exercise. The reason for this being that children in the Netherlands do not play outside enough, which is often due to uninteresting playground designs.

The project started off with a theoretical framework, in which the 10R design strategies, such as reuse, repair and recycling, for the CE were examined on their effectiveness in playground design. Both academic literature and stakeholder & expert interviews enriched the knowledge needed to answer the research question. This resulted in the following design considerations which were the basis for developing the PE as described in this thesis:

Create an interchangeable and customizable system with components that are easy to (dis-)assemble (product-service system with modular play modules)

Design with a mono-material

Design with a material which comes from a waste stream

Design with a material which allows for form freedom

Design with a material which is resistant to wear and tear and external conditions (cold, heat, moist, UV radiation, etc.)

Eliminate redundant elements

Design PE modules which can fulfil multiple play functions

Design a connection system which allows for easy (dis-)assembly and consists of a minimal number of parts and different materials

Design for effective and minimal repairs and maintenance

Design with materials which can efficiently be recycled

I performed a study on an appropriate material and production method for the PE and from this I concluded on the use of 3D-printed Geopolymer with recycled aggregates, as it comes from a large Dutch waste stream, can be produced and efficiently recycled in the Netherlands, has a lifespan of several decades, allows for form freedom and colouring, and facilitates straightforward repairs and maintenance, making it an appropriate material for the Dutch CE. I was able to visit a 3D printing facility to get in contact with the material and production process, and even prototype my product here with 3D printing.

Based on conclusions derived from academic literature and a design session with 131 children aged 6-11, I concluded that the play functions climbing and swinging & swaying, among several others, could encourage children the most to play outside more and engage in more physical activity. These functions are translated into the following themes: Treetop Retreat, Rapid Rush, Acrobatic Adventure and Hideaway Hunt, which are the focus of the designed PE.

While following courses at Industrial Design Engineering (IDE), students learn different steps of the design process. Little attention is paid to the last step of presenting the created product resulting in unprofessional photographs. The light studio is the developed concept and solution for this problem.

A dome-shaped structure with integrated LEDs and camera and a studio background within makes it possible to easily take photos. An interface linked to the camera and lights makes it possible to control the light placement through sliders and change the camera settings within the program. Information about the light placement, camera settings and photo editing is given in the interface.

A user test was conducted with IDE students. Results showed that the concept idea is in line with the design goal to motivate students in taking professional product photos. An element of the design goal which could be refined was the understanding and clarity of the information given in the interface. Therefore, a redesign has been made to target that part of the design goal. Recommendations are given for further development of the concept by conducting a second user test and creating the final design.

The report describes the graduation project done for Lifesafety Products B.V., otherwise known as Lifehammer. The company has a problem with the attachment systems of their emergency hammers. These hammers are used to break car glass in emergencies. The most commonly known use case in the Netherlands is when one ends up trapped in a car submerged in water. Due to the limitations of car interiors regarding suitable locations, a new spring-loaded hammer was developed, which is much smaller than the existing hammers of Lifehammer. The product is to be installed on seat belt receivers, which are universally present in cars. A working, 3D printed prototype was made which was capable of breaking tempered glass, which car (side) windows are made of. Some ergonomic problems were encountered during user tests, as the novel product was not easily recognised.