Design Constructed for Deconstruction

     Core 77 ran a story on designs of everyday items meant to be disassembled in case something goes wrong. This is extremely interesting because I think there is a certain amount of self-assurance in the design world that isn't often addressed. Designing something with the mindset that someone, someday, may have to take it apart involves admitting that it's likely that something is going to go wrong. It's called the "Design for Disassembly" strategy, DfD for short.

     Design for Disassembly came from a sustainability issue that the government brought attention to: the amount of waste we produce. People began to consider recycling something that would become more of a necessity as the years pass (and they were right). To answer this necessity designers began making things that could be taken apart and repaired or turned into something new (think: recycled without actually getting rid of it first), eliminating the need to throw a broken appliance out immediately. 

     There are some problems with creating DfD designs, such as the cost-effectiveness of creating something that's meant to be taken apart. It means a lot more seams and nails, for one thing. Additionally, Design for Disassembly is a strategy that needs to be taught to each person involved in the design process. That takes time, although it seems worth the effort if it saves something useful from being tossed away.