Nick Flutter & Nikita Notowidigdo: Designing for a More Inclusive and Sustainable City

Nick and Nikita: Our shift into product design stemmed from a desire to address architectural waste. Inspired by our workspace design experience, we saw potential in transforming discarded materials into modular, sustainable solutions. We're drawn to community-centered design and passionate about helping New York City revive and support its hospitality industry.

Nick and Nikita: Re-ply repurposes waste plywood from NYC’s 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, applying circular economy principles to create outdoor furniture for restaurants, bars and cafes. We work with local CNC fabricators, supporting both sustainable design and local makers. By collaborating with restaurant owners, operators, and users, we gain insights to better meet their specific needs.

Nick and Nikita: Design is about solving problems with elegance and efficiency, creating the greatest impact with the least intervention. It connects people to spaces, offering solutions that genuinely make a difference.

Nick: I’m drawn to modular design for its adaptability and waste reduction.

Nikita: I love creating spaces where people connect and share memorable moments.

Nick: I’m drawn to modular design for its adaptability and waste reduction.

Nikita: I love creating spaces where people connect and share memorable moments.

Nick and Nikita: Our design is functional, refined and human-focused, prioritizing material economy and modularity. It emphasizes sustainability, practicality, and beauty in simplicity, with a clean aesthetic and subtle Australian influences.

Nick and Nikita: Our approach is iterative, using prototypes and a "fail fast" method to encourage rapid improvement. We focus on aligning sustainable goals with practical, adaptable, and human-centric solutions.

Nick: Australia taught us the value of simplicity, resilience, and efficiency.

Nikita: Nikita: Growing up in Indonesia shaped my focus on community-oriented spaces, and living in both Sydney and New York—two diverse melting pots—has deepened that interest.

Nick and Nikita: It’s a huge honor, validating our mission to turn waste into something positive and create spaces for people. This recognition celebrates the dedication of our team and everyone we collaborate with, inspiring us to continue pushing good design forward.

Nick and Nikita: Re-ply began as an initiative to repurpose materials used to secure businesses, transforming city spaces for a rebirth of a more inclusive society. It reactivated streets, allowing people to gather again in the summer of 2020. This evolved into functional, modular furniture to support NYC’s outdoor dining revival, offering a sustainable, community-focused solution for restaurants, bars and cafes.

Nick and Nikita: Securing and processing plywood consistently while designing furniture adaptable to outdoor spaces, and ensuring that the product meets the needs of the users.

Nick and Nikita: It strengthens our brand and mission, inspiring us to keep pushing forward. It’s also a great way to connect with others who share our vision for sustainable design.

Nick and Nikita: Innovation, commitment to sustainability, and the collaborative nature of the design industry drive our work.

Nick and Nikita: We take a unique approach to simplicity, resilience, and functional beauty, blending a clean, distinct aesthetic with a strong focus on creating spaces that bring people together.

Nick and Nikita: We place increasing emphasis on circular economy principles, low-carbon materials, and modular design, minimizing waste and creating adaptable, resilient products. Our focus remains on people and community-centered design, ensuring that our solutions serve and support the needs of those who use them.

Nick and Nikita: Embrace challenges as learning opportunities, be bold, and let sustainability lead the way. Build meaningful connections and create designs that truly make a difference in people's lives.

Nick and Nikita: For inspiration, we turn to Designboom and The Circular Design Guide for sustainable practices. We engage in hands-on workshops focused on prototyping and materials research to develop our skills. It’s also a chance to meet and build relationships with people in the industry, fostering collaboration and growth.

Nick: I built model boats to test in a friend’s pool, shaping my design philosophy around simplicity and efficiency.

Nick: I’m inspired by naval architect Bernard Smith for his elegant approach to design.

Nikita: My family inspires me to always pause and smell the roses, appreciating life’s simple moments.

Nick: Resilience, curiosity, and simplicity—embrace learning and strive to create more with less.

Nikita: Taking the time to pause and smell the roses every now and then!