Using recyclable materials in new car interiors could allow them to be ‘reinvented many, many times’, according to architect and TV presenter George Clarke.
Clarke, who has fronted a number of television programmes such as George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces and Old House, New Home, says that if “you build a car that’s just one big piece of plastic, it’s only ever going to be one big piece of plastic”.
He also told of the number of cars now that made him feel as if he needed a PhD in computer engineering just to get them started, saying: “It’s all getting very minimal and slick.”
“So you design [a car] to last a long, long time because that’s good for the environment. If individual components are beautifully designed and crafted, then they can be reused and repurposed rather than being thrown away.”
“It’s always been popular, but I think it’s just exploded in the last 10 years. So, you know, [they’re good for] someone who wants affordable holidays where they don’t have to worry about paying expensive rent for holiday lets, while some people – car or van fanatics – want to do a project.
“Really, it’s just a process, but you’re also jumping into the unknown – but I think that’s the joy of restoring converted vehicles.”
