El Carrito

Introduction

In Master in Design for Emergent Future (MDEF) terms like "present continuous" and "alternative present" are used to describe specific approaches to imagining time and social conditions. This are so helpful for identify all the actants, tools, community and small actions to do for achieve your alternative present proposal.

Present Continuos In urban areas such as Barcelona, citizens are increasingly facing challenges related to the management and accessibility of water resources. The rising cost of bottled water—where even a six-pack has become significantly more expensive over the years—highlights growing inequities in access to basic necessities. Simultaneously, drinking tap water is no longer considered safe due to the presence of pollutants and toxic compounds linked to deteriorating pipeline infrastructure. These issues extend beyond consumption: urban gardening and green spaces are also under stress, as recurring droughts and water scarcity complicate efforts to maintain vegetation. These conditions reflect a present continuous crisis—one that is unfolding in real time, revealing the systemic vulnerabilities in how water is distributed, valued, and controlled in the contemporary urban environment.

Alternative Presents Imagine an urban context like Barcelona where citizens are equipped with the knowledge and tools to autonomously design and produce systems for collecting and consuming potable water. This alternative present envisions a decentralized and accessible methodology compos ed of low-tech artifacts, digitally fabricated components, and open-source design strategies. Leveraging digital fabrication tools, self-production ethics, and community knowledge-sharing platforms—such as an open manual and an interactive website—individuals and communities can collaboratively hack urban infrastructures and reimagine their relationship with water. This speculative yet feasible scenario promotes a shift toward autonomy, sustainability, and equity in resource management, challenging centralized and commodified models of water distribution.

1st Expensive Prototypes

As first approach I try to design "el Carrito" with basic hinge, wheels and iron pieces bought in Estrei Estacio a typical shop where all the designer in Barcellona go for their projects. Also I used a pieces of scratch wood found in the street.

But as you can see the prototypes wasn't a really good looking artifacts and also it was really expensive.

So I choose to go in an another directions, using digital fabbrication for developing a tool to autonomously design and produce systems for collecting and consuming potable water

So "El Carrito" is composed by:

• wood structure - a closed portable structurre with wheels for carring your "El carrito" and collecting water everywhere
• 3d printed - a hinge, L-shaped brackets and "stocking bottle joint" to create an easy user-friendly tool
• DIY water filter - an autoproduction and Low-tech process to upcycled an 8L bottle of water to filter autonomosly water in an urban area as Barcelona

Digital Fabrication process

I've made a git Hub repository where you could find all the files about this project

Cncmill step - I made a 2D rhino file about all the wood structure. For have a file compatible with the Cnc mill ShopBot you need to use the post-processor RhinoCam18 and convert the rhino file in to an.sbp file, so the machine could read what and how cut the wood.

• wood board x 1 + 4 wheels + 2 tubolar iron
• wood polse x 2
• wood brackets x 6 (two have the board dimensions other 4 not)

3D print step - I made a 3D rhino file and after that I export all the model as.stl file, so Zortrax and Bambu Lab software could read the file. So basically you set all the parameters in this two software and you run the file in the 3D print.

• Hinge - to create a closable structure
• L-shaped - to stock the water filter on the wood board
• Stocking bottle joint - to stock the upper bottle in to the bottom one and doesn't allow its movements

Water Filter

I made a research to discovered how was the most functional and low cost way to create a DIY water filter. I found some helpful reference in all the U.S.A. preppers movements (they are totally crazy).

Basically you just need a bottle of water and 5 different material, this one you have to layer it in the bottle and create the filter. This filter basically follow the natural rules that we could experiment in the river.

First step is make some holes in the cup.

Second step is layering and create the water filter, I'll write you all the material from the bottom layer to the top:

• Cotton
• Sand
• Activated Charcoal
• Graves

It's really important have in mind that you must wash all the material before using the filter and drink the water.

2nd Prototype

So here below some picture of the final prototype for the micro challange week. Hope to increase at the best I could the prototype for having an artifacts to show during the MDEFestival!!!

The first interaction was amazing. I think the capacity to become closable make "El carrito" very eye-catching. I still have to test it in a real street but I trust what I did. If you want to see more follow me on @_desainz on IG.

Future improvements

• wheels - use a cheap ones instead of printed it
• wood brackets - change a bit the hinge file to have a more aestetic outcom
• improve some details on the 3d printed module to stock the water filter
• new 3d model to pour water

Testing the filter

I was curios so I tested a bit the water filter:

• first with winegar+water and the filter outcome was clean water
• toxic solution (for testing the pH) and the filter outcome was clean water

After notice that the color changed I want to make sure that other things change and not only the color. So I use a strip Ph sensor to indicate which pH values have the solution before and after the filtrations.

Effectivly the pH changes but for drink that water I still have to do other test and after that I could try it. Crazy yes but always with the head on the shoulder

"El Carrito " by Andrea Santi

CCL v1.0 — AI acted as Driver in Research and Documentation, AI contributed as Drafting Assistant in Management. All other phases were fully human-led.

AI R2 U2 M1 – v1.0