Exploring the Aesthetic and Functional Aspects of Recycled Furniture in Promoting Sustainable Development: An Applied Approach for Interior Design Students

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the sustainable aesthetic and functional dimensions of environmental waste in the context of interior design applications by students. Employing both descriptive and applied methodologies, a series of artistic works derived from environmental waste, specifically metal and wood, were conceptualized and executed by art education students. These works, totaling 11 artistic models in interior design, underwent chemical treatment as part of the process. An evaluation card, assessed by arbitrators, was utilized to gauge the standards of aesthetic and functional sustainability inherent in the artworks. Technical data were collected and subsequently analyzed using SPSS software, which facilitated the calculation of arithmetic averages, standard deviations, and t-tests to ascertain the extent to which sustainability standards were met within the aesthetic and functional dimensions of the works. The study findings indicated that the average response scores for the aesthetic and functional dimensions, pertaining to the achievement of sustainability for wood and metal waste, were notably high. This underscores the potential of producing artful works suitable for interior design applications within the spaces of the College of Education. With an average score of 3.984, students exhibited positive engagement with the aesthetic and functional aspects of their artistic products, indicative of their considerable ethical significance. This augurs well for the feasibility of attaining sustainability through the recycling of wood and metal waste. Furthermore, this research underscores the necessity of integrating aesthetic, environmental, and social values in achieving sustainable aesthetic and functional environmental values within the interior design curriculum. This integration demands a comprehensive understanding of user expectations, technological advancements, and the cultural background, customs, and traditions of both users and society at large.