Trash Bunker

a Brief Introduction for Students

The Trash Bunker is a student-led material hub (located in Blaak on the ground floor) that aims to encourage students to reuse materials in their artistic practice and reduce waste. It is a give-and- take space: You can simply bring what you don’t need anymore and/or take what seems useful.

The Material Rescue Community is a Whatsapp group you can use to browse and get (large) materials from our storage. It is the best way to contact the student assistants to check if they might have the specific materials you are looking for. Making donations is also possible via this channel.

Making use of the Trash Bunker is a good way to make cheap projects and give materials a second life!

Moreover, you can look forward to conferences, events, but also publications organized by the Trash Bunker.

The Trash Bunker is an initiative for students by students so reach out if you have any questions or suggestions for improvement!

a Multi-Faceted Project

The Trash Bunker was initially established by a group of students as part of the Climate Camp course elective, then organized by the SPIN collective. Although it was originally supposed to be temporary, it was officially adopted by the academy in 2021.

Since then, the Trash Bunker has been an active part of the Living Station, which includes the Rooftop Garden and the Living Lab.

So Far, So Good

Last school year brought many improvements to the Trash Bunker. Thanks to the efforts of the student assistants, it became deeply rooted into the academy… and beyond!

The team improved the station by sorting materials better and hence making it easier to use. Furniture was built from leftover wood in order to store large materials within the station. Thanks to the FIT, wide drawers were saved to store oversized paper.

In 2023, the Trash Bunker got a new visual identity: a new logo and a graphic mapping for ease of use and navigation.

Outside of the academy, the Trash Bunker looked for collaborations with local companies and organisations to save materials and create waste streams. In this way, the team was able to work with the Maritiem Museum, the IFFR and a company that treats inks for printing, which donated a large amount of paper and sticker rolls to the school. These successful partner-ships will be renewed this year.

The students assistants travelled to the Ultra Dependent Public School at BAK in Utrecht, where they built a mini Trash Bunker with the help of Lucrative Dumpster Dive, an organisation that strives for circular economy in the NL.

The Trash Bunker worked hard to create awareness on waste handling within the academy, both among students and stations. The Material Rescue Community was created on WhatsApp to connect students and the Trash Bunker’s student assistants more easily. With the help of the assistants, many students were able to access the station’s basement storage to upcycle materials for their own projects.

As one assistant participated in the “Trash experiment” elective where students had to make new use of waste from the Publication Station, saving units for paper were designed for that station.

The team gathered a lot of materials from the Graduation Show for reuse, including a lot of ready-made exhibition furniture.

What’s Next?

This year, the team is willing to share its expertise and improve the collaborations within the academy. It will work with the stations to help them handle leftover materials better.

Together with FIT and events management, the Trash Bunker will explore the possibility of setting up a new rental platform to help students finding exhibition furniture.

The station’s purpose is to infuse new habits among students and staff, by organizing conferences, events, but also by publishing.

Finally, the Trash Bunker hopes to see its community grow, both inside and outside the WdKA. The team will continue its efforts to collaborate with structures outside the academy and help students with their projects!