CLAM-CRETE is the first material experiment of an ongoing body of work, Objects of Eco-Cultural Design, which reimagines design as both a mediator and method working to rebuild local interspecies connections within our depleted social and ecological systems.
Through co-design, objects and materials are created in response to local contexts and ecosystem needs, allowing humans to move beyond their extractive anthropocentric narratives and into a more reciprocal relationship.
Focusing on the Thames, the project interrogates the Golden Clam (Corbicula fluminea), a non-native species present since 2004, causing damage to the river ecosystem, both locally and on a global scale. CLAM-CRETE becomes a solution: a material derived from Golden Clam shells, reimagined as an aggregate replacement within a concrete-adjacent composite, simultaneously alleviating the need for harmful sand extraction. Material experiments included mixes with Portland cement, sodium alginate, and lime mortar as binders, exploring ways to move away from carbon-intensive materials.
Focusing on the Thames, the project interrogates the Golden Clam (Corbicula fluminea), a non-native species present since 2004, causing damage to the river ecosystem, both locally and on a global scale. CLAM-CRETE becomes a solution: a material derived from Golden Clam shells, reimagined as an aggregate replacement within a concrete-adjacent composite, simultaneously alleviating the need for harmful sand extraction. Material experiments included mixes with Portland cement, sodium alginate, and lime mortar as binders, exploring ways to move away from carbon-intensive materials.
2026
MA Project
MA Project