NRK Highlights Our Work: How Policy Can Spark a Circular Design Revolution

Public Engagement

19 Sept

Oseng-Rees Reflection has been featured in a recent NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) article exploring how Wales’ Wellbeing of Future Generations Act is inspiring international interest, and how it helped catalyse our journey from doctoral research to architectural commissions.

The piece, published by NRK Urix, shows how Wales is a global leader in long-term policymaking. It highlights how the Future Generations Act, introduced in 2015 by former minister Jane Davidson, requires public bodies to consider the impact of their decisions on generations yet to come. Davidson, who was also interviewed for the article, described the legislation as “a permission to think differently.” For Oseng-Rees Reflection, this policy became the permission needed to build a business rooted in circular design, responsible sourcing, and architectural storytelling.

NRK Urix by Gry Blekastad Almås, and Håvard Blekastad Almås / NRK

“Den politiske tyngden bak den walisiske fremtidsloven var grunnen til at jeg kunne starte denne bedriften,” (The political weight behind the Welsh Future Generations Act was the reason I was able to start this business.)
Tyra Oseng-Rees told NRK.

From our Swansea studio, we transform post-consumer glass into fused, weather-resistant surfaces for interiors and public spaces. Our work is not only technically resilient, but designed to be disassembled, reused, and reimagined. The NRK feature includes our reception desk installation and the award-winning glass wall at the Buttermarket in Cornwall.

The article also explores our collaboration with Autoglass, in which windscreens originally destined for landfill were delivered to the studio for redevelopment into new award trophies for next year’s Best of Belron Awards ceremony. Rebecca Smith of Autoglass noted: “It’s fantastic to see that car windows are being turned into something new instead of ending up in the landfill.”

This kind of cross-sector partnership is central to our practice. We believe that circular design is not just about materials; it’s about relationships, recognition, and shared responsibility. The Future Generations Act gave us the language and legitimacy to pursue that vision.

As Norway considers its own “Framtidspanel” and future ombud, we’re honoured to be part of the conversation. The NRK article underscores how policy, when aligned with practice, can unlock innovation and resilience across borders.

We’re grateful to NRK for amplifying our story, and to our collaborators, past and present, who continue to shape this journey.