Urban Clay

DESIGN: Michalina Zadykowicz, Sabrina Haas

Poland, Austria

make me! 2022

3rd place make me! Design Award and a cash prize of PLN 10.000

What if I told you that this plate was made from dirt that used to be in place of the nearest subway station?

In the “Urban Clay” project we discuss the possibility of Vienna as a mine for geogenic resources. Investigation into Vienna’s clay deposits revealed that vast amounts of clay are excavated during construction works, especially those related to the new subway routes, most of which find their destiny on disposal sites.

Our research tested the properties and suitability of urban clays both as a clay body and a glaze, resulting in a series of ceramic objects and glaze recipes.We have chosen to make simple pottery forms to best explore the properties of the found material. Using plaster molds during the fabrication process allowed us to test how the clay would perform in a smaller manufacture. The experimental glazes are based on local clay with the addition of local raw materials such as snail shells as well as those that are a byproduct of large industry, for instance cobalt oxide.

The map, partially printed with clay as a pigment, illustrates extensive clay deposits under Vienna and overlays them with planned construction work, in order to track the urban mining which is bound to happen in the upcoming years.

Observing how the disrupted raw materials supply chain causes shortages in the ceramic and art supplies, we propose a future in which Viennese urban clay is widely available for local arts, crafts and industries. We believe that a deeper research of the raw materials present in contemporary cities will lead to the development of improved systems for their management.