Project Gongjakso-Tools for Fun (Recycled plastic Chess, Jenga, Bookend)
공작소 프로젝트-유희를 위한 도구 (재활용 플라스틱 체스, 젠가, 북엔드)
AMOREPACIFICMar 01, 2023
Background
What if we could materialize cosmetic bottles that are used once and thrown away so that they can be used again?
The development of the upcycling board started with the problem of cosmetic bottles that we make, use, and throw away. More than 9 tons of
cosmetic bottles are collected every month, but most of them are not being utilized. We wanted to share our awareness of the problem of
how to deal with the collected plastic bottles and find a way to use them sustainably from a creative perspective, and as a result,
we developed plates with Amorepacific’s unique patterns and colors.
Tools for Fun
Products made from recycled plastic face the inherent limitation of simply creating yet another plastic product in the world.
Therefore, from the project’s outset, we had to consider how to delay the product’s end-of-life cycle for as long as possible.
During this process, an idea emerged: what if, instead of focusing on pure utility, we created tools for pure enjoyment? A set
of classic game tools, usable by anyone regardless of age or gender, is something you only need to buy once in a lifetime.
It doesn’t wear out, lose value, go out of style, or become boring. The importance lies not in the tool itself, but in the
act of play and the joy it creates. With this in mind, we aimed to give these plastics—once briefly used and discarded—a new,
enduring purpose through recycling.
The results were three objects: a chess set, a game beloved worldwide for centuries; Jenga, a game that anyone can enjoy intuitively;
and bookends, which help to store and display the books that are the foundation of our culture.
The limited color palette of the recycled plastic panels actually became a benefit when making the chess set, creating a striking contrast between the pieces.
The flecks and patterns embedded in the material give it a marble-like effect, lending the set a substantial, heirloom-like feel rather than the typical lightness of plastic.
Jenga is a game anyone can easily enjoy. The simple, uniform shape of the Jenga blocks allows for highly efficient use of the
recycled plastic panels with minimal waste. The simple processing also makes it a viable candidate for mass production.
A bookend is an object designed to support a row of books and prevent them from falling. Bookends help
us store and display the books that form the foundation of our cultural heritage. This design has a
simple structure, created by interlocking two panels, yet it can efficiently transform a space.
