An important method that we used to keep stakeholders involved during the full process, was co-creation. In these co-creation sessions, we invited specific stakeholders to brainstorm at different stages in the design process. By using co-creation we made sure that the design would fit the context of ARTIS. 

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The first co-creation session was used to co-define the problem definition of the project. We got around the table together with our case-owner, employees from the service centre, the horeca department, parkmanagement, and ARTIS 2030 to explore different waste streams in ARTIS on which we could focus. In the first part of this session, many waste streams were identified. During the second part, the participants teamed up in pairs and chose one waste stream to focus on. Using a canvas as guidance, the teams sketched their ideas to reduce or recycle the waste of the chosen stream. As a result, we gained insight in the most significant waste streams in ARTIS from different perspectives. In addition we collected some preliminary ideas for closing loops. 

 

The second co-creation session was organized when the decision on the waste stream was made. In this session, elephant manure was taken as a starting point. Together with the case owner, we did an extensive ideation session to explore different possibilities for recycling elephant manure. We used this session to diverge and come up with as many applications for the material as possible. First we came up with different directions, such as using elephant manure for composting, making composites, textile or paper. After this first round, we looked for opportunities to apply the new material in the park. Elephant manure turned out as a very versatile material. This co-creation gave us a good understanding of the possible directions we could go into using elephant manure. 

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The third co-creation session was organized after choosing paper as material to make from elephant manure. In this session, the goal was to find an application for the elephant manure paper which had an educational character. It was notable that the more concrete we got, the better ARTIS employees could imagine ways of implementing this new material in the park. In this co-creation session, employees from the education department came to us with new thought-through ideas. They wanted to use the paper if the new elephant calf gets born. Together with the event-coordinator, the education department and our case-owner, we developed this idea further. At the end of the co-creation session had a plan to create a workshop for children in which they learn how to make elephant paper.