Boomband Baksteen

Research Methodology

'A cross-over of local productions in a river landscape'

I explored an area in the mid-east of The Netherlands called the ‘Overbetuwe’: a river landscape between the Rhine and the Waal. Curious about the power of the landscape, the way the river shaped the land and the agronomic (fruit) and industrial (bricks) productions taking place on the spot.
The ‘boomband baksteen’ derived from a question about hyper locality: What is produced on location with the river clay? While doing field research in the area I became really inspired by the energetic atmosphere, especially by the young entrepreneurs. The orchards and the brick factory are, in that sense, a signature of the area. Therefore I explored the possible crossovers between those two. This methodology gave surprising results. One of those is the ‘boomband baksteen', a brick inspired by the orchard. Its shape is derived from the connection of the fruit tree with the tree pole, sustaining the tree during its growth in the clay. A tree tire is fastened between the pole and tree forming an in-between shape. This silhouette provides the base for the bricks, revealing a diverse range of patterns.
The ‘boomband baksteen is made with local clay, in the brick factory, inspired by the orchard and returning back to the trees as a product.

Graduation project, Public-Private, DAE
The brick is produced at Steenfabriek Zilverschoon Randwijk