Circular Resource Repair Culture

Challenge

In a circular economy, reuse, repair, and re-manufacturing are prioritised over recycling. To inform urban approaches, this project explored Rathlin Island’s living history of sustainable practice, where a resilient community relies on resourceful design and local knowledge to maintain a strong culture of repair, reuse, and long-term material stewardship.

Approach

In collaboration with NIRN, the project combined archival review, informal interviews, and photography to explore Rathlin’s resilience through innovation, repair, reuse, and skills development. A co-designed Repair Café further supported this by enabling skill-sharing between island residents and visiting repair enthusiasts, highlighting community knowledge and sustainable practices.

Outcomes

Reports, presentations, vignettes, and photographs captured examples of resilience and repair culture across generations. Interviews highlighted polymath repairers whose skills came from family, observation, formal education, and online resources. A podcast and graphic recording documented the successful Repair Café, showcasing community knowledge- sharing and the value of hands-on sustainable practices.

Learnings

Case studies from Rathlin’s long standing culture of self-sufficiency and repair can inspire urban communities. Whilst tools can be sourced, the skills development and confidence to enable repair are essential and should be highly valued. Repair Cafés harness community spirit and cooperation to enact circular economic thinking through skills sharing.

Impact

The project documented Rathlin’s rich but sometimes undervalued culture of repair. Case studies showcased the value of local design thinking and repair skills. The Repair Café diverted 30 items from landfill (139kg ~1,554kg CO2 savings) and inspired the community to continue the initiative, encouraging knowledge-sharing and supporting sustainable, circular practices.