HOLY SHIT brings up a topic that usually is very uncommon to appear in public: Our shit has superpowers – and sadly nobody knows about it. So, what’s really behind the daily duty?
Against the background of resource scarcity, climate change and the resulting 2030 Agenda’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals HOLY SHIT examines the role of communication design in sustainable change:
(How) can Eco-Social Design contribute to communicating the benefits of treating human feces, one of the last taboos in western society, as important reusable material within a resource cycle?
“Holy Shit – auf ein Wörtchen über das stille Örtchen” focuses on a communicative approach that combines visual design, project management as well as the conceptualization and moderation of participative events on a regional scale. Hereto the project takes local and supra-regional stakeholders into account. Thus, it also focuses on an effect that goes beyond the limits of the thesis project, sets a stimulus and creates a fertile ground for future actions.
Think globally, act locally
On the basis of the prototype of a mobile composting toilet, a pop-up exhibition and a participative event HOLY SHIT puts both the topic in public, develops a communication strategy and creates a base for implementing an approach for reusing feces within the context of South Tyrol.
The search for an appropriate communication form to bring the topic into public brought a topic to light that is rich on cultural and historical heritage and holds great social, economic and ecologic potential. Nevertheless, breaking one of the last taboos and addressing shit in public required a touch point that allows to communicate the issue through the qualities of fun, facts and by positive experience. The mobile composting toilet functions as a platform to communicate the topic behind the reuse of feces – especially shit – as valuable resource. As alternative to conventional chemical toilets it not only communicates the idea behind the project but also puts it into practice at the same time. Together with the local project partners (wood specialist Lobis Elements and the discussion facilitators blufink) HOLY SHIT brings local stakeholders from politics, organizations, research and event organizers together at the going public of a two-weeks pop-up-exhibition at the nursery Schullian. In a participative set up, the question „Mobile composting toilets for South Tyrol“ and the realizability were discussed. This allowed to both capture a picture of the common mood, involve specialists in the realization process from the beginning and create stimuli for future actions.
Additionally, the project was developed in continuous exchange with existing composting toilet rentals in Germany and Switzerland. This both provides expert-knowledge and fosters supra-regional networks and collaboration.
Thus, HOLY SHIT sets a starting point for future actions and supports sustainable change within the context of South Tyrol and beyond its borders.
Student involved in the project:
Johanna Perret
www.blufink.de/holy-shit
http://www.forum-csr.net/default.asp?News=11357
https://www.ff-bz.com/gesellschaft-wissen/2017-43/du-heilige-scheisse.html
