SISCODE – Remix el Barrio
Designing and crafting from food waste in the neighbourhood of Poblenou, Barcelona.
The Challenge
Tackling the issue of food waste and circularity at a neighbourhood scale.
Our Solution
A local ecosystem of ‘Food Waste Material Makers’ designing a series of biomaterial products and experiences from food surplus and waste.
Type of Project
Remix El Barrio was created during the SISCODE project which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 under grant agreement No 788217.
Project Outputs
Nine projects incubated during an eight-month co-creation learning experience facilitated by Fab Lab Barcelona.
Remix El Barrio was created in the neighbourhood barrio of Poblenou, Barcelona in January 2019. Poblenou is one of 73 barrios of Barcelona, known for its creativity. This set the ground for the pilot to foster social transformation and test new sustainable practices based on crafting with food waste. The intention of Remix El Barrio is to create a “mix of people, material and social experience.” Fab Lab Barcelona has been engaging with stakeholders and innovative designers in the SISCODE pilot to support a circular transition which revalues surplus food and biowaste.
The Project
Composed of nine projects, Remix El Barrio identified possible waste streams in Poblenou markets, restaurants and cooperatives to create new product-service systems. Participants were able to activate local neighbourhood spaces whilst learning from peers, team members, experts and stakeholders from the local community and global networks.
The ‘Remixers’ (participants) experienced circular and hands-on making practices through creating biomaterials with food waste, such as olive stones, avocado skins, coffee shells, vegetable and fruits. The participants also shared knowledge around eco-design, digital fabrication, collaboration, inclusiveness and democracy with local neighbourhood actors.
Our Contribution
Remix El Barrio final projects have been featured in exhibitions such as the FOODTURE 2020 platform and “Remix El Barrio. Diseño de biomateriales con los restos de alimentos de Poblenou” hosted at innovative restaurant LEKA (check the exhibition catalogue –Spanish/English-). FOODTURE is a yearly summit of food design, food tech and social food which brings designers and activists together to rethink alternatives to the current food system. The project has also created a series of biomaterial videos which can be accessed through the Fab Lab Barcelona YouTube channel. The SISCODE project website has a learning repository for more details on the SISCODE project and cocreation ecosystems. Remix El Barrio has its own Gitbook which you can access here (note, the book is in Spanish only).
Who is it for?
Remix El Barrio reaches out to communities, food value-chain stakeholders, designers, creatives, solution-finders, policymakers.
Designers, Makers and Creatives
Who wish to experiment hands-on with projects which transform food waste into new materials, products or services.
Restaurants & Markets
Who are looking for more sustainable and responsible practices through exploring food waste as a resource and being part of a community.
Policymakers
Looking for ways to co-create with local communities to innovate within circular food policies.
Communities
Who wish to develop more circular practices and strengthen social networks over actionable research by learning and working with waste.
Other project team members – Abono km 0, Taca d’Oli, Leka Restaurant, Taula Eix Pere IV y otros actores del barrio.
