Wasteaway

Wasteaway tackles the inherent unpredictability of reclaimed materials -desktops vary in size, finish, substrate and often feature cutouts for cable management or scalloped edges. Standard manufacturing demands consistency; salvaged materials offer none. Rather than viewing this as a barrier, we treated it as the central design problem to solve.Our solution: an efficient clip-based assembly system that accommodates dimensional variation across desktop sizes, paired with a removable upholstered cover that conceals inconsistencies in surface finish and cutouts. The result is a repeatable, scalable product that works precisely because it embraces the irregularity of its raw material.

Wasteaway began as a brief to create focus pods for underutilised university corridor spaces. Rather than defaulting to standard particleboard, we saw an opportunity to address a larger problem: the thousands of MDF workstation desktops destined for landfill. With no recycling pathway, take-back scheme, or product stewardship program existing in Australia, these materials simply disappear.Key design challenges included engineering a removable cover system to handle surface variation, and developing a flat-pack assembly that requires minimal tools- keeping transport carbon-efficient and installation simple. We then evolved the university brief into the devlopemnt of the focus pods for offices and study.

Each Wasteaway 2 person back to back pod unit repurposes six reclaimed MDF laminate desktops, diverting an estimated 120–210 kg CO₂e per unit from landfill, based on industry embodied carbon benchmarks. In a country with no take-back or product stewardship scheme for these materials, that impact is meaningful.Societally, the results speak for themselves: students embraced the installed units almost immediately, transforming neglected university corridors into activated, productive spaces. Commercially, Wasteaway is a new addition to Koskela's range but early client response suggests strong market appetite for circular furniture that doesn't compromise on design or function.

Reclaimed Laminate Structure The frame of each Wasteaway unit is built entirely from salvaged MDF laminate workstation desktops, materials that would otherwise be destined for landfill with no recycling pathway available in Australia.Removable Upholstered "Jacket" Each panel features a slip on, removable fabric cover, meaning pieces can be reupholstered on-site without returning to a manufacturer. The padding uses waste wool felt (rather than fossil fuel derived foam) , and the fabric is preferenced from Instyle's 100% Australian-made eco wool textile range- keeping the material story circular from frame to finish.Modular Configuration Wasteaway is designed to grow. A two-person back-to-back booth can be transformed into a four or six-person configuration simply by interchanging panels, no new purchase required, just reconfiguration.Flat-Pack Assembly Frame components are flat-packed for carbon-efficient transport and can be fully assembled on-site with nothing more than a screwdriver or drill, minimising installation complexity and cost.No Take-Back Scheme? No Problem. In the absence of any product stewardship or take-back program for laminate MDF in Australia, Wasteaway creates its own circular logic, giving these materials a second life by design.