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The Station Design phase develops the concept into a design that can be realised in practice. This is where the overall decisions are translated into a coherent design foundation with the level of precision required for procurement, regulatory approvals and further technical development.
During this phase, work is carried out on detailed layouts, material selections, architectural design and operational principles. This includes, among other things, the placement of functions, access conditions, unloading zones, service roads, signage, surface materials, planting, buildings, reuse areas, staff facilities and principles for container handling.
It is important to distinguish between design and technical engineering. The design phase defines the functional and architectural principles of the station: how the facility should be used, experienced, operated and developed over time. Technical engineering then translates these principles into technical solutions, calculations and construction documentation.
A strong station design ensures that the original vision and concept are not lost when the project moves into engineering, procurement and construction. It reduces the risk that key design decisions are weakened by local compromises or isolated technical solutions that may appear reasonable individually but undermine the overall system.
The result is a design foundation that can support procurement and further technical development. It must be clear enough to guide consultants, contractors and suppliers, while also being robust enough to accommodate the technical requirements that emerge throughout the next stages of the process.
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The concept defines the station’s overall organisation: traffic flow, placement of functions, structure of fractions and areas for direct reuse. The placement of functions is not simply about where containers and buildings are located. It is about how the entire facility works together: where users arrive, where the most important decisions are made, where reuse is encountered, where hazardous waste is handled, where staff maintain oversight and how service traffic can operate without disrupting user flow.
At this stage, it is essential to involve staff and relevant suppliers at multiple levels. Operational staff, drivers, recycling advisors, transport operators and specialists responsible for specific material fractions often possess precise knowledge about where the system functions well – and where it fails. This knowledge is difficult to extract from drawings alone, yet it is critical for developing a strong concept. The involvement process also creates another important benefit. When the people responsible for operating and using the solution in everyday practice are included early, broader support for the project direction is created. This reduces the risk of late objections and increases the likelihood that the concept can be translated into a station that functions effectively in reality.
The concept represents the station’s architecture in the broadest sense. It defines not only form and placement, but the relationship between traffic, materials, users, operations, reuse and service. During this phase, flow diagrams, functional diagrams, concept layouts and visualisations are typically developed so decision-makers can understand the solution before technical engineering begins.
The concept must be robust enough to carry the project forward into regulatory approvals, procurement and technical engineering. When the Concept phase is carried out correctly, the most important decisions are no longer unresolved or unclear. The project has a structure that can be engineered and delivered – without losing the original design intention along the way.
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The Vision phase defines the station’s role, ambition and strategic direction. It is typically carried out together with management, key staff and stakeholders responsible for waste strategy, operations, citizen services, finance and political decision-making. The purpose is to clarify what the station should be before discussions begin about how it should be built.
At this stage, fundamental questions are addressed: What role should the station play within the overall waste management system? How should citizens experience their visit? How should direct reuse be integrated? Which material flows should be prioritised? Which operational challenges need to be solved? And what ambitions should the station support over the next 10, 20 or 30 years?
The outcome of this phase is a unified design vision. This serves both as a decision-making foundation for management, boards or political stakeholders and as a professional framework for the following phases.
The design vision describes not only the ambition itself, but also the path forward: which analyses, concept decisions and design deliverables are required to move the project from idea to a buildable recycling station design.
The Vision phase should also define how the organisation is perceived by citizens. For many, the recycling station is their primary encounter with the organisation, shaped by service, guidance, architecture and the overall user experience. The station is more than an operational facility. It is where citizens experience the organisation behind it. A well-managed, intuitive and welcoming station strengthens trust and reinforces the organisation’s role in the circular transition.
The Vision phase prevents the project from becoming a purely technical exercise. Instead of being driven by individual requirements, it is guided by a coherent understanding of function, operations, user behaviour, service and circular value. Typical activities during the phase include strategic workshops, analysis of user behaviour, mapping of material flows, assessment of existing operational challenges and formulation of the design principles that will guide the next stages.
Download our White Paper for a deeper look at the principles and methodology behind our approach.
