REKO-ringen Scalability

Systemic Design

Client:

Master Thesis

Scope: Exhibition design

Scope: Exhibition design

Year:

2026

OVERVIEW

The grocery oligopoly and anonymity threaten farmers and Norwegian agriculture. Through digital platforms, direct contact, and trade with farmers, REKO-ringen offers a relational alternative. The system depends on voluntary enthusiasts and gatekeepers to function. Through design and systems thinking, this master’s project explores how REKO can evolve from a vulnerable volunteer effort into a more robust engine for local food security and fair market participation.

This research was driven by the objective of identifying the root definition of the Norwegian REKO-system. The study will explore what challenges may occur, and whether they are symptoms of issues embedded deeper in underlying structures. In this context, scalability is defined as the system’s capacity to evolve from a vulnerable structure reliant on individual effort into a more robust and sustainable organizational model.


Link to the exhibition: https://www.nitja.no/exhibitions/avgangsutstilling-produktdesign-2026