The circular clay machine
The endless reuse of clay
The town of Niederwürschnitz is inevitably connected with its former industrial production of bricks and the buildings of the old brick factory still remind us of this period. The soil and its included raw material clay are the basis for the creation of this place. Based on previous interventions, the place and the ground have continued to change and reshape. I connect this changeability with the circulatory capacity of clay as a material, because clay can be a material that can constantly change its shape.The process of manufacturing can be repeated as often as desired, it is up to us to make use o these characteristics or to bring the material into a fixed form.
| student: | Theresa Voigt |
| project: | Solum |
| year: | 2021 |
The former industrial site of Niederwürschnitz was once known for the production of bricks. After the reunification, many such factories in the region were closed and the production continued elsewhere. The old buildings of the former brickyard remind us of that time: they show us how the material clay was processed and used. The more you go into detail, the more you understand what it is, that makes this place different from other places. The material clay provided the basis for the regional industry, every brick made there is part of the construction of the houses and is part of the constant change and development of the place. Everything that was created, shaped and left there changed over time by human and natural influences and became a part of the local history.
Within my project I focus on this constant change and bring it in relation to the circulating properties of the regional material clay.
The material is extracted, processed and then converted into a solid form that can no longer be changed. This leads to the fact that the material never reaches its fully recyclability potential. If the material is not fired, it offers the possibility of reshaping it as often as you want. „The circular clay machine“ explores the material’s capabilities, with several stations showing how many different shapes the material can be made into through various processes. The machine has neither a visible beginning nor a visible end; due to the reusable properties of the material, each step can be repeated as often as desired. This work shows the many processing possibilities that can exist starting from two kilograms of unfired clay. „The circular clay machine“ can be interpreted as an inspiration for future production possibilities.