Material Matters is based on the following idea – as designers we should know the materials we use. We should understand where they come from, how they are sourced, their social, environmental and economic impact. We should seek to understand their histories in relation to human habitation and we should speculate upon their possible futures.
Think of a humble red house brick.
Now think about the age of the planet and all its matter.
Think of a highly refined and beautifully glazed ceramic brick. Now think of those who dug up clay deposits in Brunswick in the 1850s. Think about the process of extracting material from the earth, and think about the movements of these materials all over the world.
Material Matters - Brick Studio
A selection of student work
RMIT Interior Design 2018
You could visit a clay quarry.
You could learn about bricks and their impact on Melbourne’s history.
You could build a kiln with bricks.
You could cast and fire a brick.
You could meet a geologist.
You could dig for clay.
You could interview a brick layer.
You could learn to lay a brick.
You could design and prototype a brick.
You could build a wall.
You could research the history of clay quarries in Melbourne.
You could learn about brick recycling.
You could draw a cross section through the earth.
You could mix and colour mortar.
You could grind mineral and make a glaze.
cast / carve / mould / dig / subtract / duplicate / replicate / matter / mud / bake / fire / stack
