Big Ballot Bin
Reducing littering through play
Having developed and tested a Big Ballot Bin (BBB) prototype in 2023, Hubbub came to us to redesign it to better reflect their playful, purpose-driven personality, enhance the user experience, and ensure the design was commercially viable for scalable production and real-world use. We re-engineered the design to reduce cost and manufacture locally and it went live in Manchester arena in 2025 with tests through Elipsus Earth showing it captures 2.5 times more litter than a regular bin.
The Big Ballot Bin is a customisable, high-capacity bin that lets people vote with their rubbish. Every throw turns something dull into a bit of fun sparking competition, conversation, and cleaner streets. It’s more than just somewhere to chuck waste, it’s a clever tool for changing behaviour and a platform for engagement.
The Big Ballot Bin has been designed with longevity in mind. The electronic components sit inside a dedicated box that can be easily removed and repaired off site. The screens are protected with an anti-vandalism film, so any graffiti can be peeled away prolonging the life span of the product and preventing further invitation to damage the product. The main components—door, face, caddies and all—are designed to be repaired or replaced individually, extending the product’s lifespan and the body is made from mild steel and finished with a tough powder coat for protection against the elements. Built to last, but also built to be looked after.
Testing the prototype revealed plenty of valuable insights—most notably, making it easier to change the question cards. Changing the question cards originally required users to remove the bin liners and climb into the main body. By adding a lift up face we were able to make the user experience much easier and more intuitive. We also learned that outdoor environments are unforgiving; power stability and water resistance needed refining to ensure the bin performed reliably rain or shine. On top of that (literally), the anti-littering top helps tackle a surprisingly common behaviour: the ‘tidy littering’ habit, where people balance rubbish on top rather than putting it in. A small design tweak, but one that makes a big difference to how the bin is used.
The bin’s friendly face perfectly captures the spirit of Hubbub—approachable, playful, and human. Thanks to a touch of pareidolia, it feels almost alive, smiling back at you from the street corner. Despite being made from formed steel, we softened the geometry to bring warmth and personality to what could easily have been a cold, industrial object. The ultra low-power flip-dot display adds a subtle glow in the dark, using energy only when the count updates—smart, efficient, and a little bit magical. And when Hubbub partners with others, the colour accents can be swapped out to match partner brands without losing the character of the design.
