Learning from Nature and Plastiglomerate: A Challenge Between Re-Factory and Re-Setting

Nature is the form and substance of things conceived in their continuous becoming, with the generative force of transformations, catastrophes, and complex situations in which technology has taken over, imposing its rhythms and processes. The deformations, aberrations, and synthetic contaminations that have emerged in our ecosystems are the result of waste, pollution, and their impacts on the environment, living beings, and material culture. This essay introduces an alternative way of thinking, both metaphorically and concretely, by drawing on the lesson offered by nature through plastiglomerates. These formations suggest that matter and the materials with which design interacts can be different yet not necessarily "less natural." Essentially, plastiglomerates are aggregates of plastic waste, shaped and solidified by the movement of waves, sunlight, and other natural forces, ultimately becoming an integral part of nature itself. The central argument of the paper is that technological innovations aiming to dominate nature do not provide a viable solution for achieving the much-discussed ecological transition. Instead, by taking inspiration from nature—capable of integrating and embracing transformations—a paradigm shift is introduced. Several experimental case studies are used to construct a narrative supporting the dissemination of potential best practices. The paper proposes two design directions inspired by nature: re-factory and re-setting. Re-factory explores the reuse of molds and old machinery to conceive an alternative mode of production based on waste materials, without necessarily separating them. Re-setting experiments with hyper-contextual design, working with waste materials and product-service systems in fragile environments and circumstances, and designing with what is available in the hyper-contextual system. This approach incorporates local relationships embedded in remnants and traces, reconnecting them to rituals and traditions that give meaning to existence. As speculative design practices, these experiences are also tested as educational methodologies; they are heuristic, reflective, and time-bound, anticipating solutions and proceeding iteratively toward a planned outcome. The structure of the text includes a contextual framing of the topic through references to scientific literature and substantiates the thesis with a series of case studies, ultimately proposing two strategic design approaches.