The project outlines a scenario in which local industries, materials, and traditional knowledge are intertwined—forming a new aesthetic culture. It aims to cultivate new practices and collaborative production networks that correspond with the material and social environments in which they operate.
Rethinking production systems
Rich with fertile soils and quarries, the region has thrived through mastering crafts and skills for the production of consumer goods, making trade and industrial manufacturing an integral part of the region’s identity. However, current production models rely on continuous extractions of valuable natural resources, complex globalized supply chains, and industrial standards that obscure traditional know-how—contributing to the growing instability of global ecological and social systems.
Through material and aesthetic research, Linea identifies potential connections between local actors, that could benefit both the environment and the local community. It reimagines the production of goods as a process of collective effort—intertwining traditional rope-making with the renowned Limoges porcelain and the oyster industry of Charente-Maritime—resulting in a collection of locally rooted objects.
The objects are made from a new porcelain composition that utilizes the large amounts of shell waste in the region to substantially reduce the amount of extracted minerals in the clay and minimize the reliance on offshore supply. The shapes are inspired by vessels found in La Chapelle-des-Pots and crafted to accommodate the integration of ropes in various ways. It pays tribute to the art of knot-making while preserving the traditional knowledge of rope-making that has almost been lost in the region.
