Our planet faces climate change, resource depletion and pollution challenges that demand more than traditional solutions. Design Thinking, a human-centered approach to problem solving, provides the tools to develop sustainable innovations. Combining empathy and creativity creates solutions that are both environmentally friendly and meet user needs. At Bao Living, we applied Design Thinking to develop a circular SAM bathroom, resulting in a product that is both more sustainable and less expensive.

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User-centered Design: The Power of Empathy

Design Thinking begins with a deep understanding of the needs of end users. Focusing on the end user throughout the design process ensures a product that is actually effective and functional. For our circular SAM bathroom, this involved thorough research into circularity and the user experience within the context of the bathroom. We examined what occupants really need, while also considering the ecological impact of our choices. This empathetic approach helped us create a product that contributes to a more sustainable world as well as being more aesthetically and financially pleasing.

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Problem Definition and Redefinition: New Solutions For Old Problems

Design Thinking makes it possible to redefine problems and look at them from different angles. During the development of the SAM circular bathroom, we discovered that traditional bathrooms often deal inefficiently with the various materials used, leading to waste and a larger carbon footprint. By redefining these challenges, we identified opportunities for improvement, such as demountable components that can be easily separated into appropriate residual streams. This allowed us to develop sustainable solutions that leave the various bathroom parts intact beyond the SAM's lifetime, contributing to a smaller environmental impact.

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Ideation and Brainstorming: Creativity in Action

Design Thinking stimulates the ideation process by fostering creativity through brainstorming sessions and workshops. This creative approach is essential for finding out-of-the-box solutions and approaching problems from new angles. For the circular SAM bathroom, this approach led to innovative ideas for material reuse and circular business models. We used the R-ladder as a guide and explored a wide range of options for each part of the bathroom. This allowed us to develop innovative solutions that minimize ecological impact and optimize functionality.

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Prototyping and Experimentation: From Idea to Reality

The iterative process of prototyping and experimentation was crucial to the success of the SAM circular bathroom. We developed and tested several prototypes in realistic conditions to verify the feasibility and sustainability of our design principles. This allowed us to identify risks early, make adjustments and improve effectiveness. By experimenting with a wide range of options, we arrived at a composition that was functional, visual and financially attractive.

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Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Stronger Together

The success of the SAM circular bathroom could not be imagined without the rich collaboration between different disciplines. We worked closely with architects, engineers, environmental experts and end users to create an integrated solution that really works. This collaboration resulted in a bathroom that is not only technically advanced, but also fully responsive to the needs of its occupants and the planet. It is a concrete example of how interdisciplinary collaboration can lead to innovative solutions that make the construction industry more sustainable.

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The Circular SAM Bathroom: Design Thinking in Action

Our circular SAM bathroom is the latest addition in our modular SAM solution and demonstrates how we integrate sustainability into every aspect of our work. The extensive process of research, testing and evaluation has resulted in a product that truly makes a difference. To briefly summarize exactly what this difference means: the SAM circular bathroom is 33% cheaper than the traditional version after an initial life cycle and reduces CO2 emissions from 1235 kg to 446 kg, representing a savings of 63% ! These figures illustrate the significant benefits of the circular bathroom, both in terms of cost savings and environmental impact.

We are proud that we have achieved our goal, and Design Thinking has helped us tremendously with this.

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