Designing shoes with diassembly in mind

Disassembly Lab, a research project conducted by designer Robin Luginbuhl at L’école cantonale d’art de Lausanne (University of Art and Design Lausanne, or ECAL) in Lausanne, Switzerland, explores the concept of designing shoes so they can be easily disassembled for recycling, customization or repair.

The senior thesis project was developed when Luginbuhl was an undergraduate at ECAL. It focuses on the role of the designer in the shoe industry in creating a more sustainable future. After researching various concepts, Luginbuhl developed three shoe models made with 3D-knitted polypropylene material and thermoplastic polyurethane soles. The shoes can be created quickly and are completely recyclable. Parts of the shoes can be taken apart for customization or reuse of components. Customers also could potentially take apart and assemble shoes on their own.

“As an independent designer, my ambition is to challenge and redefine established and traditional design paradigms. I thrive on building bridges and drawing intuitive connections between diverse disciplines, which often serves as a catalyst for my creative projects,” says Luginbuhl. “My goal is to create radical and meaningful objects that have the potential to reshape how people consume and how companies approach production and selling.”

Luginbuhl is a product designer based in Lausanne and Palma, Spain, and works for Camper Shoes in Inca, Spain. He graudated from ECAL in 2023.

ECAL has a student body of about 600 students from 40 countries; the school celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2021.