All research projects aim to investigate the role of design towards zero waste networks. Inspired by natural food webs – local networks of multiple interconnected food chains – BlueBlocks aims to support the transition to environmental and economically sustainable (food) systems from a design perspective.

The research projects have a regenerative abundant food source as starting point. These sources have potential for offering food safety within planetary boundaries. To design the waste out of the system before scaling up, all by-products and residual (waste) streams are valorised in the form of (new) biomaterials and their applications.

The forming of new, cross-sectoral zero waste networks that rise through collaborative innovation is another focal point of the research.