Rethinking Endings
FROM OWNERSHIP TO STEWARDSHIP
This thesis began with a personal question: What happens to the things we own when their usefulness fades? As a designer, I was struck by how design favors beginnings: the unboxing, the upgrade, the next thing. Endings, by contrast, are quiet, unsupported, and often shameful.
RESEARCH
“Repair is a catalyst for resilience that redefines an end to consumer culture.”
Through my research, I found that people aren’t opposed to repair—they’re overwhelmed by it. Uncertainty, lack of support, and emotional detachment keep repair from being a default action. But when given tools, space, and language, users begin to see repair not as a fix, but as a form of care.
Each project addresses a different entry point into the repair ecosystem—from individual behavior to systemic change. Together, they form a care continuum that meets users at different levels of readiness: from needing help to deciding, doing, reflecting, and sharing.
These aren’t fixes—they’re frameworks for fostering stewardship.
COMING SOON
COMING SOON
Takeaways
Design has historically been silent at the point of endings. But we have an opportunity to reframe that silence—not as neglect, but as potential. Repair is not just about prolonging use. It's about acknowledging care, practicing presence, and creating rituals that tether us to the things we choose to keep.
Resources
Explore the world of right-to-repair, product stewardship, and systemic change: