CIRCLE OF SEAWEED
by Vilje Valland & Martin Janssen
“Along our coast, there are magical underwater forests - a world of giant seaweed. These underwater forests are among the most productive places on earth. Supporting a huge range of marine life. Every part is used by the creatures visiting or living there. The forests are vital nurturing grounds, one of the most biodiversity environments on the entire planet, home to thousands of species. “
Exploration of seaweed’s potential as a material.
Seaweed is threatened by today’s environmental challenges, resulting in loss of biodiversity and storage of CO2 in a time when it increases on land. But the plant could also help solve these challenges. We wanted to learn about the plants of the ocean, exploring and understanding their needs, threats, and potential. Both under and above the surface, and for both human and non-human.
The forest that seaweed forms is home to the creatures of the sea. Could it also create a home for the creatures of the land, and how would it be for a human to be surrounded by the material?
After exploring the material on a small scale, we wanted to answer our question by building a 1:2 structure. Forming a small organic installation that shows the seaweed’s potential. The structure is made out of reused material collected at Bergen School of Architecture. The design contains 8 arms, 4 of them as primary load bearing, all leaning against a hexagon on top. The wood has been burned as a natural protection, turning the structure into the same colour and similar texture as the dried seaweed. Not letting the materials compete with each other. Maybe it will rot within a month, or maybe it will stay for a year. The project is not an answer, but an experiment and exploration with sustainable and locally harvested materials.
