2025 | Student

MUSE Design Awards Silver Winner

Fertile Core——Sustainable community composting facilities

Entrant Company

Central South University

Category

Conceptual Design - Green

Client's Name

Country / Region

China

According to a report by the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), it is expected that the annual amount of waste generated globally will increase from 2.01 billion tons in 2024 to 3.4 billion tons in the next 20 years, with kitchen waste accounting for a significant proportion. Improper disposal of kitchen waste not only pollutes rivers and ecosystems, but may also exacerbate climate change issues. Fertile Core is an innovative integrated public space composting facility that aims to explore an environmentally friendly model of efficiently converting organic waste into economic fertilizers through a "product+service" model, in order to achieve seamless environmental protection.

We have noticed that the effective reuse of organic waste in society can bring enormous environmental and economic value. This product achieves the transformation from waste to commercial fertilizers through a collaborative and interconnected system that connects individuals, governments, stores, factories, and farms, reducing the social burden of garbage disposal and promoting sustainable economic development.

In response to the United Nations Environment Programme's "Zero Waste" campaign and the One Planet Network initiative, the facility adopts a contactless outlet design to ensure that users complete waste disposal in safe and hygienic conditions; Foot pedal assisted operation, optimizing user experience; The double-layer ventilation structure accelerates the decomposition of organic matter and improves composting efficiency; The internal composite multi-layer filtration system can separate and ferment organic waste such as food residues, wood, paper, grass scraps, and excrement, convert them into solid base fertilizer and filtered water and fertilizer, and separate them for easy sales and transportation of compost products. This design aims to address the global "garbage crisis" and alleviate the pressure of carbon emissions on the earth. It is not only a composting facility, but also a bridge connecting people and the environment, encouraging people to take care of the environment and get close to nature through simple actions.

Credits

Central South University
Zihe Xu
Central South University
Yanyan Wu
Central South University
Xinyun Gu
Central South University
Yuran Xie
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