Ellie Birkhead is a graduate of the Design Academy Eindhoven and she attempts to "forge a future for [the] local industry" in Chiltern Hills through a special brick manufacturing process. To complete her studies at the educational institution, the young creative designs six types of brick that employ materials like human hair from local hairdressing businesses, horse manure from a nearby stable, wool, straw ash, glass bottles and even grain.
The project is entitled 'Building the Local' and it is a clear example of how design can operate on the social scale, allowing individuals and businesses to thrive even if the product is not strongly correlated to the practice. To give an example of the brick manufacturing process, Ellie Birkhead uses the human hair to "make an unfired, fibrous brick known as a stock, which is usually produced [with] straw."
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Sustainable Building Materials
- Ellie Birkhead's use of human hair, manure, and other unconventional materials demonstrates the trend towards sustainable building materials.
- Local Sourcing
- The 'Building the Local' project exemplifies the trend of sourcing materials and resources from local businesses and environments.
- Circular Economy
- By repurposing materials such as glass bottles and straw ash, Ellie Birkhead's brick manufacturing process aligns with the circular economy trend.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Architecture and Construction
- The innovative brick manufacturing process opens up disruptive innovation opportunities within the architecture and construction industries to adopt more sustainable practices.
- Sustainable Materials Manufacturing
- The use of unconventional materials in brick production presents opportunities for sustainable materials manufacturers to explore new avenues for eco-friendly products.
- Waste Management and Recycling
- The incorporation of materials like glass bottles and straw ash in brick manufacturing highlights potential disruptive innovation opportunities in waste management and recycling industries.
