Doing

"MUD I"

EPHEMERAL INSTALLATION

DOING with Cole(c)tivo L2P1, Joana Marques and "Jardins Efémeros" Festival

Viseu, Portugal (2015)

MUD is a EPHEMERAL, experimental and abstract object, made with 100% EARTH from the local.

Build with the vernacular technic that is RAMMED EARTH. This project has a educational component

offering also WORKSHOPS to children and teenagers as a way to introduce them to the material.

video from Gonçalo Coelho

Starting from earth, 100% natural material, and a TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION system, rammed earth, we try to open the dialogue between tradition and contemporary language using a critical and free point of view.

The ephemeral nature of this intervention illustrates literally and theatrically the allusion to the earth’s life cycle as a construction material (“from earth to earth”). It helped to raise awareness about earth construction exploring the plasticity of the material. The experience culminate with the ownership of the piece by the population during the festival, this intervention was open to everyone that visited the city. Not only the younger people but also adults. They were allowed to touch and interact with the piece, formulating their own thoughts and questions about ecology and sustainable construction.

During the event, there was space for daily WORKSHOPS with 4 to 12 years old CHILDREN. They were encouraged to participate directly in the construction of samplers as a demonstration of the building process at the same time understanding the natural material as an ecological solution of construction.