If you want to know what AOD stands for (not just the acronym, but our Mission, Vision, Values and all that), you’re in the right place. If you fancy a deeper dive into some AOD design theory, observations and criticisms and other ramblings, check out the Blog.
Repurpose
Our purpose is to repurpose as much as possible. It’s that simple.
A more beautiful, less wasteful world
We believe that if something is inherently wasteful, then it wasn’t properly designed in the first place. Good design isn’t wasteful; good design eliminates waste. In particular, we believe there is no excuse for any building material to ever end up in a landfill. If nothing else, it could at least find a new use as an artistic medium. It is not about art for art’s sake; it’s about art for the sake of preventing waste, art that reflects that we value the unwasteful. It is about honouring form and material even when function is seemingly lost. It is important to remember that whereas waste is dysfunctional, form has a function.
To make waste history
Specifically, our mission is to make construction and demolition waste obsolete by harnessing the power of collective creativity.
It is to reimagine the ‘end’ of a building’s life and to help others do the same. It is to take that which typically has a reputation for being the very antithesis of creativity (e.g. demolition) and turn it into something as creative as the beginning of the design process. It is to change perceptions, to see opportunities where others don’t, to encourage new behaviours and practices, to redefine demolition, to promote deconstruction/disassembly and urban mining as a necessary alternative to needless destruction and waste, to champion the circular economy, to mitigate the extraction of non-renewable resources, to make the repurposing and upcycling of building materials the norm instead of the exception.
Imagination, Creativity & Communication
We are passionate about exploring new possibilities in the built environment and in the arts. We believe in dreaming it, creating it and sharing it.
Open-mindedness, Curiosity, Cooperation, Adaptability, Patience
Stay open. Ask questions. Play nice. Adapt. Be patient. This is what we look for in professional relationships. We want to work with people who care, people who have a willingness to learn and to share. We believe in having a positive, anything-is-possible attitude. We also believe that sometimes good things take time. We look at the big-picture. We’re in it for the long term.
No ends, only new beginnings
There is no waste in nature. In nature, waste—death, decay, decomposition—becomes nutrients for something else to flourish and grow. Art of Diversion promotes dialogue, exploration and research that supports the pursuit of new ways to apply this philosophy of regeneration to both the built environment and to the arts.
Simplicity, Handcraftedness, Imperfection, History, Calm, Harmony
Art of Diversion is about appreciating the everyday and caring for the future without forgetting our past. Whatever AOD creates independently or collaboratively, we want it to reflect these principles:
1. Does it pass the SIMPLE test?
We believe design should be stripped down, elemental, essential, beautiful in form and elegant and intuitive in function.
2. Does it pass the HANDCRAFTED test?
We want to create things that are one-of-a-kind, bespoke and personal. When someone experiences what we make, we believe they will treat it with care if it is obvious that it was made with a sense of care.
3. Does it pass the IMPERFECT test?
We want our work to have a certain character and patina, to embody wabi-sabi principles.
4. Does it pass the HISTORICAL test?
We believe it is important to know the provenance of the materials used. Places and things are more authentic and honest when their materials have an origin story to tell.
5. Does it pass the CALMING test?
We want to create things that are imbued with a meditative calm. We want whatever we produce to invite those who experience it to slow down, be still and reflect.
6. Does it pass the HARMONIOUS test?
Our work should be flexible, adaptable, versatile, able to sit harmoniously alongside a variety of other design styles with a sense of timelessness.