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experimentation: water, zeolit, differential growth, water loop, vernacular handwashing
product design: water filter, water storage, water cycle, tippy tap system
exhibition: Milano design week
photos: Marijo Zupanov and Pjorkkala
video: Maša Pirc
designed for Material bar
2025
We developed a closed-loop handwashing station that enables participants to wash their hands while engaging with sustainable water use practices at Material bar. The system integrates vernacular approaches to hand hygiene with experimental filtration techniques. The handwashing station consists of three main components: handwashing, a circular water loop, and a two-stage water filtration process. The sink itself begins the filtration, using gravel and sand to trap larger particles. Water then flows into a set of containers equipped with a pump that drives it into the second filtration stage. This second stage uses a transparent tube filled with zeolite absorbers. As part of the process, we experimented with 3D-printed zeolite. While this material is suitable for additive manufacturing, it becomes fragile after firing. To improve its performance, we used a differential growth pattern to increase the surface area for absorption.
During the exhibition at Material Bar, we originally designed the system with user-controlled taps called tippy tap. However, we found that running the water continuously was more effective in drawing attention and encouraging participation. This adjustment underscored the importance of iterative testing and responsive design.