Ceramics become a recurring ground for their ability to absorb the socio-political and cultural aspects embedded within it. Urban and industrial remnants recur in the work, drawn by their ambiguous past and circulation. Their incorporation is meant to amplify their uncertain status.
At the core of the work lies an interest in process as a form of knowledge. This extends beyond objects into the design of shared workspaces intendend as environments that support exchange and collaboration.
Curated and tutored with Thomas Amann, Hannah Segerkrantz
Projects by Finn Blindow, Julia Cazar, Jacques Ernzer, Charlotte Eybl, Anna Gramm, Eugen Halbhuber, Benjamin Kislich, Martin Kohlbauer, Karolina Kolencikova, Beyza Koruglu. Sara Kosanovic, Ana-Elisa Kresitschnig, Elisa Kreuzer, Raman Levoshka, Marlene Melkus, Isabella Mundle, Lea Notsch, Jeremias Pointner, Charly Schneider, Paul Sebesta, Johanna Syre, Julius Wolff
Supported by LINA
2023-2024
"Material Assemblies" explored the bioregional resources of Vienna, focusing on alternative material narratives and sustainable infrastructures. The research was divided into four main categories: excavation, construction and demolition, food production, and agriculture. Students conducted site visits to production plants, construction sites, and museums, physically gathering materials and collecting data on their origins, locations, and availability. This data was compiled into fact sheets, contributing to a map of Vienna's resources, industrial by-products, and waste streams.
The project encouraged a deeper reflection on the ecological, cultural, and historical context of the materials. This led to a shift from simple cataloging to questioning the impact of material choices, especially on a large architectural scale. Students engaged in hands-on testing, experimenting with the materials’ properties, and creating small samples. They began crafting narratives around the materials, documenting their compositions and processes, and selecting those most suitable for scaling up.
The students scaled up their experiments in a 10-day workshop, producing small series of materials such as bricks, panels, and glazes. They worked collectively, inventing new methods and machinery to process the materials and experimenting with synergies between different materials. Each material was accompanied by a bioregional map detailing its composition and potential applications.
The final phase focused on documenting and testing the outcomes. Students collaborated with experts from TU Wien to test the mechanical properties of their materials. The results were compiled into product sheets, providing a foundation for future applications in architecture and design. The materials were presented at Vienna Design Week in September 2024, where they were used in the hospitality area designed by Studio Dreist, showcasing the potential of local resources.