From trash to treasure

3 November 2026

Join UM50

As part of the anniversary celebrations, festive events will be taking place throughout the year for students, staff, alumni and residents of the city and region. The workshops organised by Doorspace x Circular Engineering are part of this programme.

“We’re going to collect litter from around the River Maas and turn it into something new.”

A coffee table made from compressed pieces of plastic, a stylish stool made from litter. These are just a few examples of how plastic waste can be given a new lease of life. During the Doorspace x Circular Engineering workshops in November 2026, you’ll discover what’s possible – and, of course, have a go at it yourself.

What actually happens to all the plastic that ends up in the bin? What if, instead of seeing it as waste, we saw it as a material that could be used to make something new? During the workshops on 13 November 2026, you’ll discover the answers to these questions. If you like, you can even use discarded plastic to make something new yourself.

The workshops are the result of the Doorspace x Circular Engineering collaboration. Doorspace is a makerspace in Maastricht, supported by the municipality, equipped with specialised machines and tools where you can build, repair and experiment. Think of cutting your own kitchen cupboards to size or making prototypes for your creative business. Circular Engineering is a bachelor’s programme at Maastricht University (UM), part of the Faculty of Science and Engineering.

Bio

About the organisers

Gavin Phillips, Sebastian Costa and Kasper Treffers are the organisers of a series of workshops run by Doorspace x Circular Engineering.

Phillips is the programme director of the Bachelor’s programme in Circular Engineering at Maastricht University. Costa and Treffers are the founders of the makerspace Doorspace. Together, they form part of the Doorspace x Circular Engineering partnership.

From the Maas to Brightlands

The workshops in November are open to students at UM, but also to everyone who is interested in learning more about plastic waste and how to reuse it creatively.

The day starts along the Maas. “Together with the participants, we collect litter around the river,” explains Sebastian Costa, one of the founders of Doorspace. “We do this in collaboration with the Maas Cleanup Foundation.”

The collected litter is then taken to Doorspace. Afterwards, the participants visit the Brightlands Circular Space on the Chemelot Campus in Geleen. There, scientists and entrepreneurs are working on new ways to recycle and reuse plastic.

“In the Brightlands Circular Space, you can see“which techniques are already available and which new approaches are being developed,” says Costa. “At the high-tech facility, plastic can be sorted and recycled and turned into new products. That’s very inspiring.”

“We want to raise awareness of the problem and give people the sense that they can make a difference themselves.”

Plastic press

After the visit to Brightlands Circular Space, the day concludes at Doorspace in Maastricht. Participants will get a tour of the makerspace and an introduction to its tools and facilities. Those interested in taking the next step and exploring what can be made from the plastic waste collected during the day, can get in touch with Doorspace and join a follow-up workshop to transform the material into a new product. “

Think of a plastic stool or a chopping board,” says Costa. “For example, we have a special press here that allows us to compress lots of small pieces of plastic into a new object.”

Practical skills

Students on the Bachelor’s programme in Circular Engineering already make regular use of Doorspace’s machinery and expertise. “The partnership with Doorspace is very important for the programme,” explains Gavin Phillips, programme director.

During their bachelor’s programme, students learn to devise technical solutions that are sustainable and generate as little waste as possible. At Doorspace, they put these principles into practice, learning how to work with tools and materials and what it takes to turn a design into a real product. “It is only by developing these technical skills themselves that they can go on to create good designs and advise others”, explains Phillips.

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Towards a sustainable region

But the collaboration goes beyond training students. Doorspace and Maastricht University are pooling their knowledge, experience and creativity. In this way, they aim to build a sustainable maker community in Maastricht that contributes to a more sustainable region.

Through these workshops, the organisers hope to involve more people in this effort. “We want to raise awareness of the problem whilst also giving people the sense that they can make a difference themselves,” adds Doorspace co-founder Kasper Treffers.

Text: Caya Forman

What actually happens to all the plastic that ends up in the bin? What if, instead of seeing it as waste, we saw it as a material that could be used to make something new? During the workshops on 13 November 2026, you’ll discover the answers to these questions. If you like, you can even use discarded plastic to make something new yourself. Sign up now!

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