Giona Bierens de Haan's 'It all remains' Reimagines Decommissioned Cars as Building Blocks in Switzerland
Giona Bierens de Haan, a Swiss designer, has unveiled 'It all remains,' an innovative art and architectural installation that tackles the future of automotive resource management and material recycling in Switzerland. This initiative highlights a pressing issue: with approximately 5 million vehicles registered—equating to 0.5 cars per person—and 200,000 cars taken off the road annually, two-thirds of these decommissioned vehicles are shipped to countries with looser environmental laws. Instead of depending on foreign markets for waste management, Bierens de Haan advocates for local material revalorization. Envisioning a world beyond fossil fuels, the installation reframes discarded cars as valuable structural elements for future architecture. The project was submitted via designboom's DIY submissions and edited by Christina Vergopoulou, emphasizing Switzerland's automotive export practices and potential material resources.
Key facts
- Switzerland has nearly 5 million registered vehicles, averaging 0.5 cars per inhabitant.
- 200,000 vehicles are removed from service annually in Switzerland.
- Two-thirds of decommissioned automobiles are exported to countries with less stringent environmental regulations.
- The installation 'It all remains' is by Swiss designer Giona Bierens de Haan.
- The project proposes local material revalorization instead of relying on foreign markets for waste management.
- It anticipates a post-fossil-fuel transition where automobiles become obsolete.
- Decommissioned cars are redefined as structural resources and foundational building blocks for architectural construction.
- The project was submitted via designboom's DIY submissions feature and edited by Christina Vergopoulou.
Entities
Artists
- Giona Bierens de Haan
- Christina Vergopoulou
Institutions
- designboom
Locations
- Switzerland