New European Bauhaus Prizes

Please select the award category under which this application is being submitted.

Enhancing Circularity, Sustainability, and Innovation

Project title

REDESK -Upcycled Work Furniture from Sol

Full Project Title

REDESK – Transforming Decommissioned Solar Panels into Sustainable Work Furniture

Describe your project in a short and engaging way. This will be used in communication towards the public.

REDESK transforms decommissioned solar panels into premium desks and tables, giving waste from the energy transition a second life. By turning solar materials into functional furniture, the project brings circular design into everyday work environments — making sustainability visible, tangible and part of daily use.

Where was your project implemented?

Netherlands

At which level is the project implemented? (e.g., does the project cover the entire national level, one or several regions, city(ies)/village(s) etc.)

National

Does your project address mainly urban or rural issues?

Mainly urban

Does your project involve a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment), or does it focus on other types of transformations (soft investments)?

It involves other types of transformations (soft investment)

Is your project fully completed?

Yes

Please indicate the date your project was completed

2026-03-03

Has your project benefited from EU programmes and/or funds?

Has your project received an EU prize that included a monetary award?

Are you interested in participating in the ‘Water Resilience’ special prize?

Please indicate on whose behalf you are submitting the application. This name will be used in all communications and will appear on certificates and any official material. Please enter the main person(s) or organisation(s) responsible for the project. You may list up to 3 individuals/organisations.

Organisation

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROJECT Please provide a comprehensive summary of your project. Make sure to focus on already achieved results as well as long term impact(s).

REDESK develops premium work furniture from decommissioned solar panels, transforming waste into functional and high-quality desks and tables. The project addresses the growing challenge of photovoltaic waste by applying circular design principles to everyday work environments.

The first prototypes and products have been developed and presented at international industry events, demonstrating the technical and aesthetic feasibility of using solar panels as a structural and visual element in furniture.

In the long term, REDESK aims to scale circular furniture production across Europe, offering organisations a tangible way to integrate sustainability into their workspaces while reducing material waste.

TELL US THE STORY YOUR PROJECT How did your project come about and how was it implemented on the ground.

REDESK originated from the idea that discarded solar panels should not only be recycled, but directly reused in functional applications.

Building on experience with solar materials, the project explored how entire panels could be preserved and repurposed into furniture without dismantling their core structure. This led to the development of desks and tables that retain the original solar panel as a visible and integral component.

The implementation involved prototyping, material testing and product development, resulting in functional furniture pieces that can be used in offices and professional environments. The products were introduced in real contexts, including exhibitions and industry events, to validate both usability and market relevance.

Please indicate the main themes of your project with 5 key words.

Circular furniture

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words

Solar reuse

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words

Workplace design

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words

Material innovation

Please indicate the main themes of your project with key words

Sustainability

NEB value: Sustainability How does your project concretely address environmental, social, cultural, or economic challenges and opportunities? In what way can your project be considered exemplary in terms of sustainability?

RE:DESK addresses the environmental challenge of solar panel waste by directly reusing complete panels in furniture applications, extending their lifecycle and reducing the need for new raw materials.

By avoiding disassembly and maintaining the integrity of the panel, the project preserves embedded energy and materials. It also introduces circular design into office environments, where large volumes of furniture are used and replaced.

The project is exemplary in demonstrating how waste streams can be transformed into durable, functional products at scale.

NEB value: Aesthetics How does your project concretely contribute to making life more beautiful for people, communities and neighbourhoods – both in the everyday and in the longer term? How does your project contribute to creating a sense of belonging and care for the place? In what way can your project be considered exemplary in terms of aesthetics?

RE:DESK combines industrial materials with refined design, creating furniture that is both functional and visually distinctive. The original solar panel remains visible, giving each piece a unique identity and narrative.

The design elevates a technical material into a premium product, contributing to more inspiring and meaningful work environments.

The project is exemplary in showing how circular design can meet high aesthetic standards without compromise.

NEB value: Inclusion How does your project concretely address challenges and opportunities related to accessibility and affordability for all? How does it promote inclusive governance systems, design for all principles, or new societal models? In what way can your project be considered exemplary in terms of inclusion?

RE:DESK contributes to inclusion by integrating sustainability into everyday work environments, making circular design accessible to a broad range of users within organisations.

By embedding sustainability into functional products, it lowers the threshold for companies and individuals to engage with circularity in their daily routines.

The project enables organisations to align their workspaces with sustainability goals in a practical and visible way.

NEB working principles: Participatory How has your project involved citizens, communities and civil society organisations who benefit from your project, or are affected by it? What was their role and level of involvement? What has been the impact of their involvement in the project?

RE:DESK has been developed through direct interaction with users, partners and industry stakeholders. Feedback from professionals, designers and potential clients has informed the design, functionality and usability of the products.

This iterative approach ensures that the furniture meets real needs while maintaining its circular principles.

NEB working principles: Multilevel governance How were stakeholders at different levels (local, regional, national, and European) involved in the design and implementation of the project? What was their role and level of involvement? What was the added value of their engagement?

The project operates across multiple levels:

Local: product development and testing
National: collaboration with suppliers and partners
European: presentation at international events and potential market expansion

Stakeholders include material suppliers, design partners and end users, each contributing to the development and implementation.

NEB working principles: Transdisciplinary What disciplines and/or knowledge fields (e.g architecture, design, engineering, social sciences, arts, education, digital technologies, environmental sciences) were reflected in the design and implementation of your project?

RE:DESK combines:

Industrial design
Engineering and product development
Material science (photovoltaic panels)
Sustainability and circular economy

This integration enables the creation of functional products from unconventional materials.

BUSINESS MODEL Please describe the business model behind your project. What makes your project financially sustainable over time (e.g. activities generating revenues, public funding, donations, crowdfunding, specific financial instrument, etc.)?

RE:DESK operates through:

direct sales of furniture
B2B partnerships (offices, corporates, interior projects)
scalable product lines (desks, meeting tables)

The model is designed for scalability and repeat production, enabling growth without dependency on subsidies.

SCALABILITY Which elements of your project could be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries, or contexts (e.g. aspects of the methodology, technology, processes, products, tools, or key learnings etc.)?

The concept is highly scalable:

solar panels are widely available across Europe
production can be standardised
products can be adapted to different markets and use cases

The approach can be replicated in various contexts, from offices to public spaces, making it transferable across regions and sectors.

Web link

http://www.redesk.nl

Please attach at least 6 high resolution images (or other types of visual representations, if images are not possible) to your application.

Close Project category

Close Basic information

Close Project description