How can design foster greater awareness of compost’s role in urban environments?

Every year in Europe, between 118 and 138 million tonnes of organic waste are generated, roughly 88 millions of which come from municipal sources. Yet, only about 17% of this becomes usable compost; the remaining accumulates in invisible landfills.

This project explores compost as a pivotal element of the food system, positioned simultaneously at the beginning and the end of the production cycle. It examines design strategies to valorise and market this “waste” for urban plant enthusiasts. Within the Food Design Lab at Elisava University in Barcelona, the research focused on regenerative practices, particularly on the challenges posed by an urban context characterised by high consumption and waste production. In collaboration with the start-up Abonokm0, which collects organic waste from restaurants, composts it, and returns it as vermicompost, the project aims to reintroduce urban leftovers into the market, thereby helping close the loop in the food system.

Terrestrial microbiota and other invisible agents are placed at the centre of investigation, proposing “probiotic” human-led practices and materials capable of cultivating a human–plant–microbe relationship. The goal is to explore a perspective that can nudge the food system toward a planetary metabolism, asking how we can ensure that the biosphere continues to function and evolve with and for all its interdependent inhabitants. In doing so, it aims to strengthen inter-species relationships while raising urban awareness about compost practices and why we should engage with them.