CLAM-CRETE
Material 01
Objects of Eco-Cultural Design
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.
Located in London, with a focus on the Thames, the project interrogates the Golden Clam (Corbicula fluminea), a non-native species present since 2004 that is causing damage to the river ecosystem, both locally and globally.
CLAM-CRETE became 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, which is damaging ecosystems across the world. Material experiments included mixes with Portland cement, sodium alginate, and lime mortar as binders, exploring ways to move away from carbon-intensive materials.
CLAM-CRETE became 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, which is damaging ecosystems across the world. Material experiments included mixes with Portland cement, sodium alginate, and lime mortar as binders, exploring ways to move away from carbon-intensive materials.
The project culminated in three objects scaled to varying cultural-ecological contexts: a block, for sites of abundance with existing removal; an ornament, crafted from hand-collected shells; and a chopstick holder, made from discarded foreshore shells as a means of community engagement. CLAM-CRETE functions as a material system rather than a singular product. Its applications range from industrial-scale blocks for existing dredging and ecological restoration projects to furniture, homewares, and small-batch artisanal objects. At its most accessible scale, washed-up shells are transformed through community workshops into simple artefacts and tokens, such as chopstick holders, allowing direct participation with the material.