Capturing the City through Recycled Building Materials: Zutphen, the Netherlands

2024｜ Soil, recycled building materials from Reststoffencentrum Zutphen B.V. ｜ Diameter 10 cm, H 1.5 cm

In the city of Zutphen, modern and historical buildings coexist. I believe that the historical and cultural atmosphere of the city is not only due to the well-preserved monuments but also because many new buildings use red bricks that echo the historical architecture, as well as the stone- and brick-paved streets. Together, these elements shape the unique character of the city.

In Zutphen, I extended the theme of circulation to architecture and urban landscapes, focusing on the reuse of building materials. I visited a local building materials recycling center in Zutphen and collected some recycled construction materials. These materials came from old roads and houses, and after being recycled, they became usable resources again.The collected materials are block-like, similar to small stones. How to combine my creative concepts with these characteristics is a challenge.

The Walk and the Workshop

I  guide participants on a walk through the center of Zutphen, observing how the arrangement and colors of building materials imbue the urban landscape with meaning and exploring how these landscapes subtly influence our daily lives. Through this walk, I hope participants can experience how artists draw inspiration from urban construction and view these spaces from a fresh perspective.

Afterward, we return to an indoor space for hands-on work. Each participant will be provided with a petri dish and tweezers. I will first demonstrate how to mix different soil colors to create new shades. Then, participants can layer soil on the bottom of the glass container and place building material particles on top, arranging them by color and shape to create unique patterns. These patterns exist only momentarily, allowing participants to repeatedly disassemble and rearrange the materials, continuously creating new meanings of their own.

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The artistic development is made possible by the venue Dat Bolwerck and the foundation Art Futures, an international non-profit organization that supports and initiates activities with an unconditional belief in the value of art, culture, and education. I would also like to thank the Reststoffencentrum Zutphen B.V. for their support.