Issuu

Into the Field

Everything in our world takes part in a natural cycle. We all participate in the relationship with nature every step of the way, although sometimes this partnership gets lost in the context of the contemporary world. Into the Field brings the conversation back into nature, questions human actions, and shows new possibilities. The projects aim to show the synergy between people and nature, how both sides can win in this agreement, and what steps can be taken to ensure care and attention. Smissenbroek is a great estate and a much greater system. A biodiverse bio environment becomes a great educational space, and people utilize it in order to connect with each other. For a semester, it became our little world within a world.

4 seasons

Into the Field

“Design is a balancing act with time. Apart from material, socio-economical and environmental considerations and their interactions, time is a (often overlooked) decisive element in the design of sustainable proposals.

A Balancing Act

A task at hand - create a garment or a tool that comes completely out of Smissenbroek and becomes beneficial for the natural habitat and people working and exploring there. The Four Seasons asks what material possibilities can be shaped, what kind of cycle the final outcome goes through, and how these findings can be adapted in our world.

The world changes. Things change. Life changes, the weather changes, the seasons change, the climate changes, cultures change... What is useful one day may not be the next. This temporality is important to understand as a designer because it means that what you observe, establish or create one day may be different or obsolete the next.” – Theresa and Archibald, tutors Four Seasons

Morning Studio

Into the; botanical garden Rooted 10 My mother used to be a tree 14

old Forest Mending with nature 20 The chesnut celebration 24

swamps Catwalk 30 How to harvest duckweed 36 Warmth by Hand 40 Circular warmth 44

pasture Earth Pearls 50 Wild seeds 54

agroforestry Weaving Connections 62 Pomme sur tige 66 72% nettle 28% hat 70 The Nettle Tea Basket 74

The moment I entered the castle, I felt completely disconnected from the outside world. Crossing the gate marked a transition in space. It gave me a chance to breathe in and out, embracing the fresh air and calmness. I began writing from this point, focusing on transition — on how everything changes and progresses as a consequence of time. Yet, I tried to remain present and open. I captured beautiful transitions are happening in front of me. What Isabelle explained was about how we create new life within ecosystems. I understood this as the beginning of a beautiful transition that will continue to un fold in the future.

The botanical garden is made of 4 squares from 16 by 16 steps each. It has flowers, pots, plants, vegetables, fruits, birdhouses and a greenhouse.

Into the Garden

Rooted

Rosie and Ananya season material technique

all metal (s) casting

Casted in tin, copper and brass the pieces are to be worn by farmers working on their land, where eventually the varying composition of the soils affect the body of the jewellery in different patinas. Thus seeking identity through use across seasons and terrains. Thus symbolising a connection between her physical body and the soil. We have here a comb, a ring that goes over her gloves, and a garter.

This exploration extended into an editorial magazine titled ‘Rooted’ and sub-titled ‘in-soil’, as it’s first issue. Modelled by Julia Eagermann, the issue consists of the process and outcome behind the design of our jewellery. From it’s shaping in ceramic, moulding in sand, and casting in tin, we would like to further develop this method and eventually cast jewellery in Isabel’s soil in Ghent.

Outcome : a series of visualisations of the interplay between human and nature, form and function, formed and framed, seen and unseen.

Inspired by Max Lamb’s process of casting a stool at a beach in England, we envision repurposing old tools, machinery, and discarded food cans containing tin at Smissenbroek to create ornaments locally.

‘Rooted’ disperses into the language of identity. Posing question and musings about the carriers of ‘self ’ — this project focuses on Ananya & Rosie’s subtle observations of Smissenbroek and Isabel’s relationship to it. Finding roots in her eye for ornamentation, this soon-to-be publication is curated into 3 pieces of jewellery that intentionally corrode over time.

Morning Studio

Into the Garden

Morning Studio

Into the Garden

We see smissenbroek as an evolving garden of endless possibilities, a place to harvest curiosity. Going there the first time we realised that beyond its function, the umbrella becomes a symbol of connection. To emphasise this connection, our umbrella kit serves as an open invitation to engage with the elements of its beautiful nature. It’s a gesture to encourage individuals to step outside and interact creatively with the materials and textures of the environment.

All mesurements and thicknesses are mentioned to allow anyone to recreate the umbrella without the kit. The kit has personalised tools, for instance, it provides different colored threads, carefully dyed with local flowers, to help you mesure the branches. In the manual, there are two main chapeters, the mechanism and the canopy. The canopy chapter is a collection of expirements, materials, varnishes, and a selection of best combos categorised by season. Our favorite picks, for rain is made from leaves sewed together with beewax, and the one made from second hand jackets put together; and for the sun, bed sheet or table cloth, and the one with grass paper.

Our project fall into 3 main components, the manual, the kit and the first crafted umbrella. The manual describes all steps and details to craft the umbrella.

My mother used to be a tree Manon and Liza season material technique

autumn various connection

“My mother use to be a Tree” is an umbrella kit inviting you to explore nature around you. It encourages you to harvest the right material and craft your own umbrella, seeking playfulness and creativity in the way you perceive materiality. This process transforms crafting into an intimate expedition into the the world around you.

Morning Studio

Into the Garden

Morning Studio

The old forest

“I think if you let nature take its place again, it all recovers naturally. But if you keep on wanting to extract everything without leaving anything for the soil, it’s natural that we have a worse environment.”

Into the Forest

This workshop emphasizes the value of the objects, environment, and relationships that surround us, fostering meaningful connections through hands-on, collaborative learning. It encourages participants to engage directly with materials and processes, exploring the interconnectedness between people, objects, and natural systems. This promotes a deeper awareness of sustainability and the care needed for both our belongings and the environment.

In addition, the communal aspect of repairing together strengthens relationships by sharing tools, techniques, and personal experiences. This collaborative environment builds a sense of mutual support and connection. Ultimately, the workshop redefines repairing as an act of “revaluing,” encouraging participants to appreciate the time, effort, and care required to maintain their belongings. It fosters intentional, respectful relationships with the world and the things we use every day, combining care, creativity, and community to inspire more sustainable and meaningful practices.

The workshop also focuses on repairing and reusing as a way to extend the lifecycle of objects, reduce waste, and conserve resources. It encourages more sustainable living practices.

Mending with nature Manami and Kieu My season material technique

all various workshop

Mending with Nature is a workshop series held seasonal, that aims to connect people with nature. Participants get to explore local plants and learn how to identify, gather and use them to mend pieces of garments. One of the workshops focuses on producing natural yarns, extracting dyes from plants, and using these materials to mend clothes with techniques like darning. It’s a hands-on experience that not only teaches useful skills but also inspires a closer relationship with the natural environment we live in.

Morning Studio

Into the Forest

Morning Studio

Into the Forest

The celebration consists of two days. The first day is a workshop day with a limited number of people and used to create a cape of chestnuts combined with chestnut headpieces and bracelets.

The celebration ends with burning the made wearables, giving it back to nature and starting the colder season. Closing this off with the end of the harvesting season of the chestnut.

The second day is a celebration open for the public. Learning the importance of harvest and the significance of the chestnut. The wearable chestnut cape is shown in a ‘harvest parade’ expressing gratitude for the seasonal vegetables and fruits of november. The chestnut being the fruit of autumn.

The Chesnut Celebration Effi and Anna S season material technique

autumn chesnut workshop

Researching rituals, festivals and celebrations for garments and other wearables Effi Abath and Anna Stalpers decided to create a cape to wear during a chestnut celebration, where the focus lies on connecting with nature and harvesting seasonal produce, using the chestnut as a main material. The chestnut is a material that can be found in large amounts in the forest of Smissenbroek symbolizing fertility, health and prosperity. Organizing a celebration of chestnut (and nature) would give an opportunity to involve a larger community reconnecting to nature and seasonal harvesting.

Morning Studio

Into the Forest

Morning Studio

The grey cloud to rain drop. rain drop to emerge into clothes. Water softly soaked in, the moisture amplifies its pigment. Grey cloud to sunlight Sunlight, clouds, wind, trees, leaves—and then me. There’s me. The swamps

Under the shadow,leaves, trees, wind, clouds, sunlight. There’s me. Particle of shadows fall down from the tall trees, as like leaves. These shadows are hitting with each other, making a sound like soft laughter.

Into the Swamp

Together we applied this material in the context of Isabelle’s practice and combined it with traditional ways of creating fabric - wet felting. By exploring different recipes, we developed a fully biodegradable material made out of the female cattail flowerhead (fluffy part) wet felted with gelatine.

Once the material is reintroduced to the soil, because it is compostable and biodegradable, it will increase the nutrient content, proteins, and amino acids in the soil. Plants capture carbon dioxide throughout their life and they store it, in the afterlife, the material releases the carbon and contributes to the carbon cycle of other plants.

We later stitched two layers with cotton yarn for additional durability. This material offers a variety of uses, it mainly stands out with its insulation properties, soft feeling, durability, and natural ingredients.

Catwalk

Leo and Iggy season material technique

spring - autumn duckweed connection

In the end, our final product takes the shape of a pair of shoes that is the result of our long journey in material research.

The Catwalk Project explores the intersection of traditional craftsmanship and innovative bio-materials. Drawing inspiration from the ecosystem and lifecycles of Smissenbroek, we investigated the role of various plants, including invasive species on Isabelle’s farm. Through this research, we developed a biodegradable felt material using cattail flower heads. The result is a pair of warm, comfortable house shoes designed to align with the natural cycles of Smissenbroek. Perfect for unwinding after a long day in rubber boots, these shoes embody sustainability and harmony with the environment.

Morning Studio

Into the Swamp

Morning Studio

Into the Swamp

The addition of gelatine, which makes the fibers bond better, also contributes to the lifecycle. Especially in garden applications, gelatine encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria and fungi, which serve as fertilizer, benefit the growth of other nearby plants, and help regulate the moisture level.

Morning Studio

Into the Swamp

The project introduces a duckweed harvesting tool made from natural materials found around Smissenbroek—or any pond environment.

The structure is thrown into the water and left momentarily, allowing duckweed to stick to its surface. As the structure is pulled ashore, it gathers duckweed along the way. Once removed from the water, the structure doubles as a drying rack, which can be hung in trees or set into the ground to drain excess water. The dried duckweed, lightweight and nutrient-rich, is then ready to be used as fertilizer— returning value to the land and completing a natural cycle.

The primary material used is wooden branches, chosen for their ability to allow duckweed to stick to their surface. Tree forks serve as the base of the structure, while bendable extending branches are intertwined to create a circular shape.

How to harvest duckweed Orka and Anna season material technique

spring - autumn duckweed harvesting

Duckweed, the smallest and one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth, thrives almost everywhere—including Smissenbroek. Often considered a nuisance due to its rapid growth—it doubles its biomass in just one to two days—this plant holds overlooked potential. The project focuses on discovering a sustainable, lowimpact way to harvest duckweed that respects its ecological role. Instead of complete removal, the aim is to transform duckweed into a resource by designing a simple, eco-friendly harvesting method.

Morning Studio

Into the Swamp

• RE U

Morning Studio

• HA

SIN G

ES T

G IN

Reusing the throwable to restart the circular harvesting cycle.

• CR A

• ST

AR T

FT IN

Throwing the device to harvest duckweed from water surfaces.

• EN

• DR

RIC HI

YIN G

Constructing the throwable device with sustainable materials.

Distributing the dried duckweed onto land as fertilizer.

• Location: any pond with Duckweed

Hanging and drying the harvested duckweed for further use.

• Season: late spring to early autumn

Into the Swamp

This project offers a unique solution by harnessing cattail’s insulating qualities, providing warmth while minimizing environmental impact. The design not only addresses the immediate need for warmth but also emphasizes sustainable practices. Cattails are abundant in the wetland areas of Smissenbroek but are considered an invasive species that often go underutilized. By converting this environmental problem into a valuable resource.

Warmth by Hand Kiara and Laetetia season material technique

winter cattail weaving

Warmth by Hand showcases how nature can provide solutios to both ecological and practical challenges. Eco-friendly harvesting methods were integral to the project, reflecting the local practices in Smissenbroek and respecting Isabelle’s approach to managing her farm, forestry, and garden. To improve the jacket’s strength and usability, hemp fibers were added to the cattail-based material.

Warmth by Hand is a conceptual project that reimagines the invasive cattail plant as a sustainable, 100% biodegradable material for creating a handmade jacket designed for winter insulation. By utilizing techniques such as weaving, felting, and rope-making, the project fully embraces the natural properties of cattail, transforming it into a functional, eco friendly alternative to synthetic textiles. The jacket was specifically designed for Isabelle and her family in Smissenbroek, a region where harsh winters and inefficient, labor-intensive heating systems make it difficult to stay warm.

Morning Studio

Into the Swamp

Morning Studio

Into the Swamp

The jacket has a one-year lifecycle, aligning with the cattail’s annual harvesting cycle, and is completely biodegradable. After a year of use, the jacket can decompose naturally and be recreated with newly harvested cattails, promoting a circular, waste-free design.

Morning Studio

A manual accompanies the project, offering instructions for others to replicate the process, fostering a wider movement of sustainable garment production. This project exemplifies how traditional craftsmanship, innovation, and sustainability can converge to address pressing local needs.

Into the Swamp

The opportunity for this on-site educational experience at Isabelle’s farm “Smissenbroek” was a privilege. The reactivation of an extended life cycle was witnessed here, where everything seemed to unfold as it was meant to, sustained through moderate human caring. In appreciation of Isabelle’s dedication, we decided to offer something to her, just as she gives back to nature. Using materials related to Smissenbroek—wool and cattail—a mitten will be created. This mitten is envisioned for activities beyond the farm. This method addresses Isabelle’s personal needs, offering warmth and value. The entire process required an understanding of those daily needs.

This crafting approach embraces principles of emotional circularity, fostering care that flows from individual to individual and from individuals back to nature. Through collected interviews and consideration of locally available materials, we employed weaving techniques to work with lowprocessed organic resources. By linking these two forms of circularity, it can be emphasized how emotional connections with the earth can lead to a more sustainable and balanced relationship with nature.

warmth

CircularWarmth Dabin and Alicja season material technique

winter cattail weaving

Circular Warmth reflects the balanced ecosystem of Isabelle’s farm, Smissenbroek. Using wool and cattail, we craft a mitten that embodies care—connecting individuals and nature through warmth and sustainability.

INDIVIDUAL 1

Education

Awareness

Morning Studio

Caring

Education

Awareness

INDIVIDUAL 2

warmth

Caring

NATURE

Into the Swamp

Morning Studio

Nourishing soil

Harvest Fiber (Autumn)

Educational outreach (Sumer/Spring)

Dry and Store

SUMMER

End of life cycle

Blend Wool and Cattail

AUTUMN

SPRING

WINTER

Repurposing >

Compost

Seed starter

Plant insulation wrap

Prototype development

Mitten Production

Repair

Using mitten

The

pasture

Into the Pasture

This project explores cow manure as a bio-degradable and malleable material and researches the idea of how a wearable can connect the wearer to nature. Earth Pearls finds itself in between where one lifespan ends and another one begins. Making the wearer a safekeeper of the seeds, of life itself, rather than the owner of a necklace. It questions the responsibility we feel for our belongings.

How do we reconnect with this natural cycle that we - Western society - have grown apart from? Cow manure positions itself within this transitional phase from death to life. The cow manure itself consists mostly of dead plant fibers and digestive bacteria that provide essential nutrients - like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium - for seeds to come to life. The necklace is a paradoxical object. It takes the shape of a symbolic relic or an impersonal fashion item. The latter being an enormous ecological burden and therefore representing the absence of the relationship between human and nature as a result of consumerism. Earth Pearls aims to bridge this gap by making a necklace that contains new life and placing the responsibility of actually coming to life with the wearer.

Cow manure is an underutilized material in the European context. In countries like Kenya, Angola and India it is used as a construction material and for ritual practices symbolizing purity, fertility and the relationship between humans and nature. It was this relationship between humans and the cycle of the seasons, a cycle of life and death that became the starting point of our research

Earth pearls Linde and Ines season material technique

all cow manure casting

The Earth Pearls necklace is made from manure, seeds and fibers harvested at Smissenbroek and potentially sold in the farm shop. More than a souvenir, the necklace is an invitation to come back to Smissenbroek in the right season and give it back to the soil for it to live on. Earth Pearls is a not-so-classic necklace that connects the wearer to the seasons. A ‘pearl’ necklace made from cow manure protects a seed inside that ought to be planted back into the soil in the right season, nurtured by the fertile manure.

Morning Studio

Into the Pasture

Lifecycle of “Earth pearls”

Morning Studio

Into the Pasture

Harvest cow dung

Autumn

Winter

Summer

Spring Wear and protect necklace

Harvest the seeds & ﬁbres

Plant necklace & fertillize the ground

The plant grows

Produce necklace String the pearls

Dry cowdung

Roll the pearls

Finish with beeswax Sand the pearls

The Earth Pearl necklace and the story behind it carries the message of Smissenbroek. By selling them in the farm shop as souvenirs, the necklace spreads this message like seeds in the wind as well as it becomes an invitation for people to come back to the estate over the seasons.

Earth Pearls touches upon the complex issues of fast fashion and the bio-industry by exploring a malleable, natural - and in some contexts a waste - material. Like the knotweed factory, Earth Pearls invites other designers to experiment with the material properties of a widely available material with many possible applications from jewelry to construction material.

Morning Studio

Into the Pasture

Wild seeds

Orka and Anna

season material technique

spring - autumn seeds, nettle guerrilla gardening

Combining comfort and functionality, the carrier uses nettle’s unique qualities: soft and strong fibres comfortable against the skin and to carry the weight of the seed bombs. The carrier doubles as a business card by reusing excess seeds to spread awareness of biodiversity and local rewilding initiatives beyond Smissenbroek.

Using seed bombs as a business card, the concept spreads awareness of biodiversity and rewilding in urban areas where these initiatives are urgently needed. Nettles, often dismissed as weeds, are fastgrowing, require minimal resources, and support biodiversity by feeding pollinators and enriching the soil.

The idea stems from a practical challenge—Isabel’s struggle to store seeds effectively. Seed bombs play a crucial role, enabling controlled growth, easy distribution, and protection from the light and moisture. Different mixes, such as pollinatorfriendly, edible, or shade-tolerant seeds, cater to various ecological needs, fostering biodiversity and sustainability.

Transforming nettles into textile aligns with Smissenbroek’s mission to promote ecological balance and reconnect people with nature. The seed bomb carrier and the workshop created around it embodies activism through guerrilla gardening, offering a practical and symbolic tool for growing.

Wild seeds introduces a wearable carrier made from durable nettle fibre, designed to store and protect 25-30 seed bombs for easy rewilding. Inspired by the need for better seed storage and utilization, this carrier combines comfort and functionality with simplicity to keep the seeds safe. Using nettle fibre, a sustainable and often undervalued material, the project highlights the importance of native plants, aligning with Smissenbroek’s mission to promote ecological balance and respect for nature.

Morning Studio

Into the Pasture

Morning Studio

Into the Pasture

Wild seeds Product Life cycle

December

Ward Willems & Vilma Vanhanen

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Timeline

Seed bomb

Carrier

Harvesting nettles: Harvest in late spring (may - June) Procssing: Best to do directly after harvesting Making the Carrier: A rough four hours. Utilization: Best in spring and autumn. Natural Decomposition: Always suitable for compost.

Cooking: Best in early spring Wastestream: The best time to compost is in spring and summer. Fixing and reusing: Always possible.

Gathering materials: During late summer, early autumn Making the seed bombs: Best after seed collection. Utilization: Best in spring and autumn. Natural decomposition: The best time is in spring and summer. Growing to a plant: Happens in spring

Nettle Harvesting Timeline Blooming Mature Height Rapid Growth Germination December

January

Winter

February

March

April

June

Spring

Winter

Early Spring

Dormant period: Nettles die back and should not be harvested, providing a time to prepare soil and plan for the next season’s harvest

Best for harvesting young, tender shoots rich in nutrients, ideal for culinary use in soups, teas, and smoothies. Focus on top leaves for quality.

(November - February)

May

(March - April)

July

August

Summer

Late Spring (May - June)

are strong, making this the prime time for textile materials. Harvest before strength and quality.

September

October

Autum

November

Summer

Early Fall

Limited harvest: Nettles

Second harvest window as fresh shoots regrow with cooling temperatures. Young nettles can be used for culinary purposes; however,

(July - August)

for food due to higher calcium carbonate levels. Cut back regrowth.

(September - October)

The project also emphasizes circularity, aiming to use 100% nettle fibre for the wearable. This commitment reflects Smissenbroek’s focus on hands-on learning, sustainable practices, and community engagement, making the Wild Seeds project a call to action for greener, healthier cities. Creativity and activism inspire a deeper connection to the natural world.

Morning Studio

The agroforestry

Into the Agroforestry

Weaving connections Eva and Larissa season material technique

all nettle weaving

Morning Studio

Through three key steps—cultivation, processing, and garment creation—the project showcases the journey from field to fabric. Using models, embroidery, and fabric interpretations, we bring this process to life, culminating in practical yet thoughtfully designed items like a bucket hat.

The final product, an adjustable bucket hat crafted from nettle-based textiles, is not only practical but also symbolic of the partnership. This garment is designed for Smissenbroek employees and visitors, promoting awareness of the project while emphasizing local craftsmanship.

Adjustable and functional, the hat balances everyday usability with a refined aesthetic, serving as both a practical tool and a symbol of the collaboration. The project emphasizes regional partnerships as a vital pathway to achieving innovative and sustainable fashion solutions.

By merging ecological practice, craftsmanship, and design, the project demonstrates how local resources can be harnessed for innovative textile production. Through an infographic and 3D visual display, this initiative invites stakeholders to imagine a future where nettle fibers weave together sustainability and creativity.

Sustainable textiles through a collaboration between Smissenbroek, an ecological farming estate; Derotex, a Belgian company specializing in textile recycling and fiber processing; and Netl, experts in nettle-based fabric innovation. By integrating local resources and ecological expertise, the project seeks to uncover the untapped potential of nettles in textile production.

The adjustable bucket hat, symbolising the collaboration.

Into the agroforestry

Morning Studio

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Into the Agroforestry

Smissenbroek’s fruit trees bear fruit on the higher branches, creating the need for ladders, bags and containers. Our tool dispenses with this need, as it can be used from the ground to pick higher-hanging fruit. Additionally, our tool is unique in the fact that it can be fabricated by the user (in this case, Isabelle d’Ursel of Smissenbroek) using minimal tools and additional materials. This is because it is made entirely out of natural materials which can be found at Smissenbroek- Willow and Elder. Our fruit picking tool is simultaneously a tool and a speculative object.

Pomme sur tige Eoban and Emil season material technique

spring - autumn willow weaving

It is speculative in the sense that we have explored a de-industrialised reality, mirroring the times of centuries past, where often, when a highly specialised tool was needed, an industrially manufactured version wasn’t readily available. This would test the resourcefulness of the individual farmer, and force them to create a rudimentary version of the tool itself. It proposes the idea of re-localising production, to combat the negative environmental impact of mass industry.

A fruit picking tool, made entirely out of raw materials, and an information resource which allows it to be recreated. This project aims simultaneously to make fruit picking more efficient, whilst also making a statement about the possibility of localised production of agricultural hand tools. To rediscover traditional ways of making for this tool, traditional willow basketry and 19th century fruit picking tools were researched.

Morning Studio

Into the Agroforestry

Morning Studio

Into the Agroforestry

We chose to focus on nettles and simple homemade techniques because we believed that by creating approachable and DIY-friendly designs, we could spark interest in natural alternatives. This project celebrates the ecological and cultural value of rediscovering natural materials and techniques. By merging traditional practices with modern design thinking, it makes the use of this sustainable material both accessible and appealing to a broader audience.

To make this accessible to others, we developed a DIY folding kit, a recipe book, and a series of process books that document every stage of the project. These resources are designed to inspire others to experiment with nettles as a material and to share the knowledge we’ve uncovered. Additionally, we conceptualized hands-on workshops, carefully planning how participants could be taught to harvest and process nettles into paper.

Our aim is to inspire designers, makers, and the general public to rethink material use and engage in thoughtful, hands-on creation.

72% Nettle 28% Hat Clara and Nina season material technique

spring - autumn nettle DIY

This is a design project reclaiming traditional knowledge of nettles to explore their potential as a sustainable material. Through paper-making and folding techniques, it transforms this humble plant into elegant, wearable designs. The piece is a summer hat made from handmade nettle paper.

Morning Studio

Into the Agroforestry

Morning Studio

Use mainly Use in summer mainly in summer PROCESSING NETTLE PLANT NETTLE PLANT PROCESSING harvesting harvesting

NETTLE PULP NETTLE PULP separating separating

boiling

separating separating

beating

scooping

NETTLE PAPER NETTLE PAPER

scooping

drying

HAT KIT

drying

discarding discarding

72% NETTLE 28% 72% HAT NETTLE 28% HAT circle of life circle of life

- rip it appart - ripand it wet appart it for and faster wet it decomposition for faster decomposition - let it soak - let in water it soak andinsit water outside and sit for outside it to become for itfertilizer. to become fertilizer. - simply throw - simply it in throw a nettle it in plant a nettle it will plant decompose it willbydecompose itself by itself

Into the Agroforestry

We cut, dried, braided and cooked with the plant to discover its possibilities. The way of archiving our samples is also very important, and that is why created our own labels. This way steps taken can be recreated in the future.

Our goal to create the ideal shaped basket for the context given. The connection point for attaching the basket to the belt is tailored-to-fit Thomas Lommée’s Open Structures system. The tea picking basket is fully compostable and rich in nutrients that nourish the soil.

After several interviews, we kept Isabelles (owner of Smissenbroek) needs in mind and concluded that a small basket for picking tea was a need that had not yet been met. This way Isabelle doesn’t have to bend down too often and doesn’t have to carry too many bags.

The Nettle Tea Basket Primo and Freke season material technique

spring - autumn nettle DIY

Besides of them, we also worked with two professional basket weavers, JP Scheen and Veerle Mertens. They helped us to understand the process of basket making and gave us tips, tricks and good advice.

The Nettle Tea Basket is a basket made entirely of nettle. It can be attached to the wearer’s belt using the OpenStructures system. The basket’s light weight and unique shape ensure that freshly harvested herbs remain secure, making it an essential tool for efficient and convenient tea picking. Picking and selling tea plays a vital role in generating income for Smissenbroek, and the project aims to build on this importance by simplifying the process of harvesting fresh tea.

Morning Studio

Into the Agroforestry

Morning Studio

collective research

Behind you there are Chickens. They’re in a coop with black currants and red currants.

Chickens are scrolling around, scratching the ground, turning over the soil, eating weeds, and providing fertilizer through their d r op ping

In this Forest, We have the water, we have the sun in the summer. My father planted the trees one meter underwater. This type of planting can be a place for a lot of animals to be protected from the predators. So we have a very interesting diversity in terms of birds and animals that find a shelter here.

keywords Introduction + Seeds Season Flowering Making Seeds Collecting Seeds Next Season Packaging Selling Big Challange Ecological Value Back to soil Compost Harvest Leave back Never take more than we need Recover Reseed for next year Rotation Garden and park Lots of weeds Difficult to manage Cardboard Boomscoops Put cardboard deterioate rain cover from light no weeds plant on top of that Sealing all flowers next season Slugs and compost it has little spikes repellent for slugs good example of waste compost most from the garden green material kitchen garden compost temperature high seeds die in compost no weeds chicken produce fertizlizer red and black currant foxes

redweed + favabeans not waste worthy gold for soil spread no light protect from weed broccolo + fava as fertilizer fava rot protein bread perennial and annual big difference raspberries perennial for 30 years vegetable flowers annual chives, fertilizing waste natural waste cut back grow back four times waste left stays nourishes fertilizes greenhouse terracota pots fill water take water slowly sea-cabbage, terracotta pot sea cabbage shoots cover with pot stalks harvest remove pots tree roots big roots problem cut roots knife tractor

compost + invasive dump comes out of garden seeds further away we dont want the seeds to come back big branches good compost hard solution what is weeds edible organic plot material deterioate waste from woodworker acid blueberries need acid bats bats eat insects 1000 mosquitos wood burning heated with only wood last fill up 11 ashes fertilizer fruit trees garden produces a lot of ashes dead trees only agroforestry hedges social enterprise twice a year hedged agroforestry alfalfa clover mix of grass 29 different herbs root system small roots pen toors spread out decompact the soil feed nurture soil machine

soil four centimers next season red wheat mixed with fava tractor break up root system 40 different varities of apple fruit for teas rains non stop trees absorb water edges high protect from wind leaves fall from the same cycleagain productive buy seeds bigger material organic milk neighbor subsidized forward agriculture subsidized 58% plants protection animals plantation flemish budget carbon farming program leave for next 30years measuring carbon forest diversity dry underwater planted one meter underwater grows in water protection animals predators diversity flanders rich soil water sun nursery growing trees worst type of agriculture fertilizing pesticides moving cutting roots

moving destroys soil animal life returning atrract birds rabbits hedgehogs canada goose egyptian geese agroforestry fruit planted 150 healthy. fruit vitamin c unknown cattail and weaving remove to use create cover japanese knotweed organic cloth material cant grow through cover compost moist warm plant trees shrubs winter cardboard cut back start planting 3 months another system bees old frames store honey no waste leave out frames bees clean up no waste the goal additional food rain dont come out starve most time

weeding 50% of time april to september 70% winter plant bigger trees shrubs remove weed next year seed more weed herb garden teas try out protection form weed cardboard and mulch goal sustainable more cost than income education poll univiersities schools use learn attract companies invest overall objective bring people back to nature diverse environment forest lake vegetable garden 17 hecatrs 30 hectars crops bread wheat fava ecological mixture pure grains buckwheat two collaborations beer seeds preserve grow sell back to him

history of Smissenbroek 100 years ago hunting lodge burned down rebuild in concrete no historical value value garden park tools basic fork scruffle gloves pen knife mower cornus netherlands hybrid high diversity not invasive flora and fauna 1 type of green flowers 1 type of blue flowers 1 type of black flowers 1 type of brown flowers 2 types of red flowers 4 types of orange flowers 7 types of white flowers 8 types of yellow flowers 12 types of purple flowers 14 types of pink flowers 100 species of fruits 100 flowers in total 80 manual flowers 50 vegetables 20 annual flowers 2 lakes 1 forest (with a swamp forest inside) 1 botanical garden 100 species of birds 9 ducks 7 beehives 6 cows 3 chickens 2 cats 1 fox

tools, structures, people 13 tracktors 2 benches 1 tent 1 boat 1 swing 1 pool 3 houses 2 birdhouses 1 chicken cage 1 machine shed 1 orangerie 1 tent 1 cave 5 families 1 school class once a week Several workshops throughout the year

dragonfly

chesnut

black thorn

blackberry rubus

common duckweed

corn flower

heal- all : prunella vulgaris

ivy - hedera

japanese knotweed

narrowleaf cattail

nasturtium

nettle

oak bark

oak

princess tree

ribwort plantain

spear thistle

sweet flag

tarp for covering japanese knotweed

wheat grass

white clover

wood scops

common bamboo

common dandelion

algae from the pond

annual cosmos

Inbetween uncertainties

The process involved studying available minerals and creating glaze recipes without knowing the results. The artist really enjoy and make part of her process the unpredictability of ceramics, especially the reveal after ﬁring and the surprises it can bring. From 30 initial recipes, six visually interesting ones were selected for further testing. These were applied in three ways: one without nettles to compare, one at low temperatures, and one at high temperatures.

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The ﬁnal glazes were tested on cups to see how they work in practical use. This ongoing project will continue to explore new recipes and outcomes, demonstrating the creative and sustainable potential of invasive plants in ceramics.

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The Glaze of Nettles Laetitia Delbachian season technique material

spring - autumn glazing nettle - ceramics

Inbetween uncertainties

This project explores the creation of sustainable ceramic glazes using nettles, an invasive plant. Inspired by the sustainable practices of Smissenbroek farm, it turns a material often discarded into a valuable resource for natural glazes. By using nettles, the project aims to reduce waste and offer an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic glazes .Ceramics, with its ancient traditions, has the potential to adopt more sustainable methods. This research focuses on plant-based materials to align with environmental goals.

Morning Studio

The artist started with little knowledge ofglazing and documented the entire journey in a book “The Glaze of Nettles”, detailing the steps and discoveries made along the way. The idea began after a conversation with Isabelle at Smissenbroek farm, who mentioned that nettles are harvested but not used further. This inspired the artist to explore how nettles could be used in glazes. Research revealed that plant ashes can serve as components in glazes, sparking an exciting focus for experimentation.

This project explores creating sustainable ceramic glazes from nettles, an invasive plant. Inspired by Smissenbroek farm’s sustainable practices, it focuses on reusing nettles, often discarded due to their invasive nature, as a resource for natural glazes. By tapping into this abundant material, the project aims to reduce waste and promote a more eco-friendly alternative to harmful synthetic glazes. Ceramics, as an ancient craft, has the opportunity to return to more sustainable methods, and this research advocates for using plant-based materials to align with sustainability goals..

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Here we are with a lot of Design Academy students. There are quite some projects using nettle, a few using cattail, some of them use cow dung. But what is the capacity of Smissenbroek, in which season are projects happening and what is the ecological impact of a project? I try to answer these questions in a low-tech way using leporellos. he leporellos have a year’s timeline on them and they are easy and fun to take with you on your journey around the estate. Each participant is able to write down their own ﬁndings and interests and is encouraged to share what is going on in the month of visiting Smissenbroek.

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After that, the leporello is added to the library and a next person is able to ﬁll in a page in the next month. I concluded that these special-shaped books needed a round reading instrument. This is how the idea of the Reading Table was born. This installation allows visitors to make quick and easy comparisons and connections. Feel free to participate in this project of connection by adding your Leporello to The Categorisation Tool.

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The Categorisation Freke van Rooij season technique material

annual writing paper

Inbetween uncertainties

Driven by the fact that there are countless processes, cycles and things going on at Smissenbroek, I tried to create a way to navigate through them. I am sure that we will never be able to know everything, but the creation of a growing collaborative library might help a little.

Morning Studio

During an interview with Isabelle (owner of Smissenbroek), I found out that nature happens whenever it is ready for the next step. The life cycle of an organism is invisibly linked to several parameters such as air quality, humidity and nutrition. With most knowledge about Smissenbroek being embodied within Isabelle, collecting and sharing knowledge became my ﬁeld of interest.

The Categorisation Tool is a continuously expanding collaborative library. By taking pre-printed leporellos, visitors of Smissenbroek are invited to collect information of their interest. Participants are warmly welcomed to add their knowledge to the physical open-source library located in The Orangerie at Smissenbroek. Everyone is able to compare different perspectives using the Reading Table, which is a rotatable structure on which you can mount two different leporellos simultaneously. Everybody can learn from nature and from each. The Categorisation Tool connects.

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Interconnectivity of different topics

In a twist of irony, the plant that arrived as a specimen of colonial activity became an invader itself, challenging the spaces of those who had imported it. Just as colonists had reshaped ecosystems abroad, Japanese knotweed invaded European landscapes. Today, efforts to control it raise deeper questions about our role in altering the natural world. Visualizing the urgency

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The triptych Fear Knot explores this dynamic through three perspectives on managing the “problem” of the unfamiliar entering our environment. Something that wasn’t supposed to be there, but is now a chance of naturally effortless mass production. Using Japanese knotweed as an example and case study for touching a broader topic on inherent fear of all things foreign.

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Fear knot Rosie Vermeylen season technique material

spring triptich japanese knotweet

Inbetween uncertainties

Japanese knotweed, native to East Asia, made its way to Europe in the mid-19th century. It was introduced by Philipp Franz von Siebold, a German physician and botanist. Von Siebold brought the plant to the Netherlands in the 1840s, admiring its ornamental qualities for landscaping.

Morning Studio

Japanese knotweed’s quick growth and lack of natural enemies quickly became clear. It spread through gardens, roadsides, and riverbanks, displacing native vegetation. The plant’s rapid spread through the Netherlands and later Europe, was mainly caused by transporting soil, landscaping, and gardening which unknowingly propagated its roots.

Closed triptych imagery .

Fear knot is a triptych exploring society’s journey toward a sustainable future through the lens of Japanese Knotweed, an invasive species in Belgium, the Netherlands and other European countries. The left panel depicts fear-driven actions to control or eradicate the plant, reflecting a desire to restore an earlier state. The right panel contrasts with hope-inspired actions, seeing the plant as an opportunity to build a harmonious ecosystem benefiting all. At the center, a missing piece invites viewers to reflect: How do we respond to the unfamiliar, and how does it shape our actions and policies?

Identifying the urgency

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The cap although the protagonist, is just a piece, a starting point that allowed me to build on and explore. I see my project as a tool for understand alien material: how to recognize them, how to use them, and what it means in a broader context. The project has a multitude of outcomes, all focused on extending the life of alien materials. The animation is vibrant, representing a colorful garden. A metaphor for circularity and renewal.

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Alien material in contrast loses its color when it breaks, symbolizing lost potential. In a garden like Smissenbroek, where everything is used circularly, colors thrive and reﬂect purpose, expect when alien material is broken. The Zines are the key to this vision and serve as guides: helping to identify alien material, showing how to create your own cap, sparking creativity in ﬁnding new uses. They also serve as an invite, to share ideas of further use, encouraging to invent second lives.

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Alien Materiel Manon Vincent season technique material

early- late spring natural glazing ceramics - nettle

Inbetween uncertainties

The First challenge with that project was to create a well-fitted hat, and to extract its pattern. Achieving the perfect fit required careful adjustments. The process was hands on, tracing, cutting, testing, adjusting, deconstructing, even scanning for further refinements.

Morning Studio

This long and tedious process allowed me to elevate the detail such as parts aligning perfectly or a little star stich at the back. To minimize alien material waste, I used cardboard for pattern experimentation, which turned out to be a beautiful way to explore shapes and volume

Offering a way to smissenbroek to incorporate their broken boots to their life cycle harmony, by giving them a second life, along with opening horizon on to be discovered alien materials. .

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I chose Grote Berg 13 as the site because it has been vacant for two years and is clearly neglected. The space is ﬁlled with trash, building materials, and impoverished soil—the opposite of the thriving ecosystem in Smissenbroek.

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Through working on the site, gathering trash, reshaping the ground structure, throwing seed bombs, I hope to witness a transformation in the spring. I envision a ﬂourishing area full of ﬂowers, helping people recognize its value and inspiring the emergence of more “Smissenbroeks” in cities.

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Creating an urban duckweed farm in a vacant plot - Grote Berg 13 Vilma Vanhanen season technique material

spring - summer growing video - performance

Inbetween uncertainties

It is estimated that already 55 per cent of people are living in urban areas, a ﬁgure projected to rise to 70 per cent by 2050. So, what will happen in the future? How to scale an idea of Smissenbroek to the future needs of people living in the cities where biodiversity and locality are urgently needed?

Morning Studio

In this project Grote Berg 13 becomes an experiment about urban farm in a vacant space and growing and researching duckweed (also grown in Smissenbroek). Duckweed could even have the potential to address global hunger and combat climate change. Studies show that by cultivating different uses in vacant spaces and inviting people to learn, people become active members and thinkers in the cities.

Moment of a «Forest teardrop» session. Participant is capturing the essence of the sound.

Grote Berg 13 is a site speciﬁc activistic intervention that combines performance, video and material exploration in a vacant plot in the centre of Eindhoven. The aim is to take Isabel’s idea of Smissenbroek and take it to the city environment to explore the future needs of the people living in the cities by creating an urban duckweed farm. At the same time the project is questioning the power relations, freedom and laws related to ownership and a lack of care in an urban space. .

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Community moment, where creativity and craft creates a bonding

«Forest Teardrop» is a meditation and a windchime-making workshop. It shows you the value of the present moment and the ability to pay attention to what is around you.

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«You are a tree» deepens your empathy towards nature by mimicking it with an improvised yoga session. Finding the connection with the body transforms and using tactility for a better understanding

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Big city girl in a big nature world Elizaveta Sokolova season technique material

annual workshop participant

Inbetween uncertainties

Smissenbroek is a stunning place of biodiversity, history, and connection. When we visited it for the ﬁrst time, I found myself exploring the place and craving solitude, being completely alone with the nature around me.

Morning Studio

Colors, noises, textures, paths, shapes - everything comes together in an ensemble, leaving you wondering and reﬂecting. This connection inspired me to develop two workshops that aim to develop a deeper connection with nature by using various mindfulness practices.

Moment of a «Forest teardrop» session. Participant is capturing the essence of the sound.

«Big City Girl In a Big Nature World» are two workshops dedicated to ﬁnding connections within yourself and with nature around you. Smissenbroek has a lot of people working with the space, coming to visit, make an event there, study, or collaborate. My workshop’s purpose is for those people to not only treat it as a physical space but as a space of great emotional value and reﬂection. .

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A place of peace. Ebracing the moment with a great compony

Deisgner’s body used showcasing harsh realities of the world

Inbetween uncertainties

Morning Studio

HAVERSTING AND PRODUCTION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

ER EMB DEC

JANU ARY

FE BR UA

R BE M

NO VE

CH MAR

OCTO BER

HARVEST PRODUCTION

APRIL

BER TEM SEP

M AY

ST U AU G JULY GRASS

DEAD LEAVES

AVAILABILITY: MOSTLY IN SPRING AND FALL, BUT TECHNICALLY ALL YEAR

The combination of grass with complementary materials such as straw, wood chips, and dead leaves enhances soil health and reduces waste. This approach fosters a circular system where organic materials are repurposed and returned to the environment as nutrients, supporting both ecological balance and regenerative farming practices at

WOODEN CHIPS

AVAILABILITY: MOSTLY IN FALL, BUT TECHNICALLY ALL YEAR

AVAILABILITY: ALL YEAR ROUND

IMPORTANT COMPONENTS: CARBON-RICH, PROVIDES MINERALS AND IMPROVES SOIL QUALITY

IMPORTANT COMPONENTS: RICH IN NITROGEN, PROMOTES SOIL HEALTH DECOM

IMPORTANT COMPONENTS: CARBON-RICH, PROVIDES TRACE MINERALS

DECOMPOSING SPEED: SLOW, SHREDDED 3 – 6 MONTHS

POSING SPEED: VERY QUICK: DECOMPOSES IN 1 – 3 WEEKS

By transforming grass into paper and layering it to mimic existing weed barriers, the project aims to showcase how natural, biodegradable solutions can support sustainable agriculture while utilizing locally available resources.

E JUN DECOMPOSING SPEED: VERY SLOW, AT LEAST 1 YEAR

Weed barier Orka Lippert season technique material

annual organic paper weed

Inbetween uncertainties

Morning Studio

This project addresses a critical need within Smissenbroek’s farming system: effective weed management without relying on harmful chemicals or non-biodegradable materials like cardboard.

This project explores the potential of grasses from Smissenbroek as a regenerative resource to develop a sustainable alternative to conventional weed prevention methods. Inspired by the layered structure of traditional mulch weed barriers, the goal is to create grass-based paper combined with other natural materials, forming a functional and biodegradable agricultural tool. The weed prevention mat will be crafted using materials sourced from the Smissenbroek estate, such as grass, straw, wood chips, and dead leaves. By integrating these into the paper-making process, the project repurposes organic waste that would otherwise decompose unused, demonstrating a sustainable, low-impact approach to agricultural challenges.

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Composition forest hues, dyed cotton strips and wool yarn

The project embraces playful dyeing techniques, experimenting with seasonal hues and effects. Timelab, along with Smissenbroek, provides the perfect setting for this exploration, emphasizing ecological awareness, innovation, and sustainable practices. The composting cycle serves as a foundation for material experimentation, deepening the understanding of circular design.

This research reframes waste as a valuable resource and offers practical insights into pigment extraction methods and dyeing techniques. It also encourages reﬂection on the often-overlooked resources within our food’s natural “packaging,” linking art, design, and ecology. The project lays the groundwork for future workshops and practices focused on the compost cycle, inspiring creative solutions and fostering a deeper connection with nature.

Inbetween uncertainties

This project investigates the extraction of natural pigments from organic waste, such as fruit and vegetable peels, within the composting process. The compost at the Smissenbroek estate is used to create rich, fertile soil, and everything that can be reused is included, from food scraps to plant matter. Initially, I experimented with creating paperlike surfaces from the peels, but this proved too disruptive to the composting process

Morning Studio

While this paper could return to the compost, it used up too much of the “green matter,” prompting a shift to pigment extraction and dyeing. After boiling the peels to extract the pigments, the material is returned to the compost. Although it contains slightly fewer nutrients, the boiling process increases the nitrogen content, helping to balance the nitrogen-to-carbon ratio and supporting more efﬁcient decomposition by microbes.

Composition berry and green hues, dyed cotton strips and wool yarn

Compost to Color Larissa Erens season technique material

perannual natural dyeing compost

Extracting Pigments from Nature’s Cycle What if vibrant colors used in fabric could be sourced directly from nature’s waste? This project explores traditional natural dyeing practices while pushing the boundaries of creativity and technique. By transforming fruit and vegetable peels into pigments through the composting cycle, it reimagines organic waste as a valuable resource for sustainable creative practices. With a focus on eco-friendly innovation, the project invites playful approaches to material use and challenges our perceptions of waste. Next time you’re cooking and your water turns a beautiful color, think twice before throwing it out—you could collect that color! .

Composition sunrise hues, dyed cotton strips and wool yarn

Intruiging reﬂection during development cotton in red cabbage dye, pre-treated with

Inbetween uncertainties

My biggest inspiration for this toolkit is the work of Nora Bateson. Her book ‘Combining’ is a crossover between science, visuals, art, poetry, and essays in which she makes connections between these disciplines. By combining ways of communication and language, she makes room for all kinds of perceptions. She describes how we can perceive the world in many more ways, than the ways that are common or normal.

Morning Studio

The toolkit consists of 1 drawing and writing sheet, which is at the same time a map. At the estate the participant is given a toolbelt with tools, which they can use to ﬁll their sheet and empty their heads. After the walk, I ask the participants to come together and unfold the papers so they can see what connections they see between all the different words, drawings, poems, colors, verses, thoughts, memories, and forest materials of other participants. I invite them to connect through words, thoughts, and their imagination: to have a conversation and together ﬁll in the empty space that is still between the unfolded

sheets.

Coming to senses Ines Pijnenberg season technique material

spring - summer - autumn emotion mixed media

Inbetween uncertainties

The toolkit plays with the question: How do we continually expand our perception? “Can you try to draw the smell a plant you can ﬁnd around you?” “Where is the light coming from, can you give words to it? Can you draw it?”

Morning Studio

This type of questioning is important as a practice because our senses get habituated. Nowadays, after our childhood ends, we are not really invited to fully engage in nature when we go outside. But when you are exposed to this type of engaging, by going beyond words and beyond the physical: your brain stays healthy.

Coming to senses’ is a workshop at Smissenbroek, in which (young)adults are invited to experience the estate in an emotional, sensitive way. The workshop consists of exercises where you must use your senses interchangeably. By criss crossing the senses, we will start to expand our perception. It is important to expose ourselves to different ways of perceiving because it makes us attentive, open and more compassionate to the world around us. In the exercises you are asked to let go of your expectations: there will be friction and you will have to improvise. It allows us to make deeper connections and hopefully creates a better understanding of our own frame of reference and environment.

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Inbetween uncertainties

These panels are not only functional but also aesthetically appealing, with experiments in natural dyeing enhancing their visual impact. This innovation addresses Isabelle’s need for improved insulation in her historic home, where heating inefﬁciency is a major issue.

Morning Studio

Inspired by historical wall hangings used as radiant barriers, the panels provide localized warmth and thermal comfort without excessive energy use. Rooted in the context of Smissenbroek, this project emphasizes ecology and sustainability. By repurposing an often-overlooked invasive species, it highlights the potential for

Natural Insulation Redeﬁned Eva van Caem season technique material

autumn - winter quilting cattail ﬁber

Inbetween uncertainties

Morning Studio

This project showcases the potential of Narrowleaf Cattail (Typha angustifolia) as a sustainable material for architectural insulation. Using the ﬂuff harvested from Cattail plants, the project transforms this hydrophobic, lightweight material into semi-stable wall panels.

Cattail Comfort: Natural Insulation Redefined transforms the insulating properties of Narrowleaf Cattail into sustainable wall panels that enhance thermal comfort. This project addresses the challenge of insufficient home insulation, as identified by Smissenbroek’s Isabelle, while repurposing an underutilized natural resource. The panels reflect a historical practice of using textiles for warmth, reimagined through a contemporary ecological lens. Through gathering, processing, felting and stitching Cattail fluff, the project refines material techniques while exploring dyeing and aesthetic potential. Collaboration with Smissenbroek informs the design, ensuring the

solution aligns with the needs and regenerative goals of the community. . 82

Inbetween uncertainties

It is a light wood that has speciﬁc buoyancy properties. Growing in moist areas, when submerged into the water, it will continue to grow in the pond, making it a living structure that strengthens itself throughout the years. Imagining what other tree/plant species could be used during the rest of the year, Wisteria (Wisteria Sinensis) could be used during spring and Swamp Poplar (Populus Tremula) during late summer.

Morning Studio

The relevance of this tool lies not only in helping build a raft-being one possible outcome- but also in other potential usages. I could imagine Isabelle needing to make a fence, small structure for gardening, a drying station for the tea leaves, and all of those made with this tool.

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Weave the willow Emil Rey season technique material

spring - fall weaving willow

Inbetween uncertainties

Weave the willow focuses on building objects made out of living materials with the help of a tool designed to be adapted to different tree species, dimensions and uses. Therefore, this project uses a tool made following the Open Structures system to make a raft used as a ﬂoating garden in Smissenbruek.

Morning Studio

Fresh willow (salix babylonica) branches are used for the base of the ﬂoating garden for several reasons. As our Studio projects take place mainly during fall, it is the period where the willow is dormant and is being pruned (late fall). The willow is also known as an easy bendable material, perfect for weaving uses

Weave the willow is a floating garden made out of a woven willow grid, with tool and manual that allows it to be reproduced at location. At Smissensbroek, Isabelle’s permaculture farm is all about learning about planting by trying and getting your hands dirty. Weave the willow is a small floating garden where Isabelle can experiment on growing on the water, and the influence of rich pond water on the crops. Made out of a living material, the garden will grow and strengthen itself throughout the years. The weaving loom is using the Open Structures grid and can be used for alternative purposes on the farm. The weaving loom can be used in several seasons therefore other plant species can be woven.

Inbetween uncertainties

While these pots are practical and widely available, their fragility made me curious about ways to mend them rather than discard them. At Smissenbroek, I discovered beeswax as a natural material with unique properties for repair. This led me to learn more about how beeswax is made and experiment with its use in restoring pottery.

Morning Studio

Working with these materials has been an exploration of the connections between traditional practices and creative problemsolving. Through this project combining old and new ideas, encouraging a deeper appreciation for the craft of terracotta and beeswax, I hope to highlight the value of everyday objects like terracotta pots and inspire a more resourceful approach to materials we often take for granted.

The connection of wbeeswax Efﬁ Abath season technique material

autumn mending beewax

Inbetween uncertainties

My project explores how broken terracotta pottery can be repaired and given new life using beeswax. The idea began with my interest in the Olla—a simple, unglazed pot that has been used for centuries to water plants, store goods, and even cook.

Morning Studio

For example, the Olla’s porous design provides steady water to plants while reducing waste, showing how terracotta can be both functional and environmentally friendly

Efﬁ’s explorational journey at Smissenbroek began with a fascination for the Olla, an unglazed terracotta pot that has been used for centuries as a watering system for plants, as well as for storage and cooking. Terracotta pots, widely available in various sizes, are affordable, easy to transport, but also very fragile. This exploration led to the creation of a DIY Olla watering system and a functional heating system made from terracotta pots. In the search for other useful materials at Smissenbroek, beeswax became an essential ingredient in a project exploring different ways of using beeswax for mending.

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Morning Studio

The space between my ﬁngers feels cold, as my body lays beneath one sheet no more no less like rusted armour foolishly believing this defence, worn thin against the bite

dated : 22nd September 2024 : Ghent, Belgium (a small diary entry written in pencil, in a ﬂixbus, on the way back to Eindhoven)

In Layering Ananya Maithel season technique material

peranual sewing linen/cotton

Inbetween uncertainties

The development of my process relates itself to the concept of “clothing for clothing”. I have designed a line of layers that can be perceived as extensions or add-ons to existing garments or, as garments themselves. They are meant to be functional as well as ornamental. Designed for certain movements, action, and purposes in Smissenbroek, these pieces are crafted out of repurposed linen and cotton that was locally sourced in the Netherlands, thanks to the founders of ‘The Linen Project’.

Morning Studio

While the project is rooted in personal sentiment, I have begun exploring sewing and pattern making as outcomes. They remain rough in construction but have the potential to be further developed by professionals to adapt to their own environments. The idea lays in layering, but the materialisation can be expanded in multitudes. Anything can be a layer. A pocket, a zip, a collar, an added material. Some of my outer layers are covered in beeswax, again a local material found at the farm, to provide resistance from rain as well as a tougher exterior for protection.

in layering’ is an ode to my stubborn defences against dressing for the weather. It is an attempt to alter a habit, an annoying attachment to looking a certain way. Through this piece, I am beginning to question the lengths to which I let myself endure discomfort, keeping my experience from Smissenbroek at heart. I hope to gather some empathy, common sense, and comfort in what I put over my skin as I explore the nuances of identity, function and intimacy.

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Uncertainties

The Shroud Because it was Designed for horizontal usage It’s helping the people from the industry to respectfully take care of thWWWe body Because of the materials used It’s completely biodegradable and locally produced and neutral to the local environment.

Morning Studio

Because of the design It’s also encouraging the guests of a funeral to interact with the body. Interaction such as tying bows, touching hands, putting letters or ﬂowers. This interaction with the dead person in a form of care that is meant for people to familiarise with death in a comfortable way and help in the mourning process.

Sustainable burial Alicja Wawryn season technique material

annual ritual human waste

Between uncertainties

Morning Studio

Sustainable burial is a project about consciousness within the funeral industry, and current approach towards death focusing on the ceremonial clothing for the dead.

Nowadays humanity distances itself from death, and by that nature as well.

We don’t want to look at death, we don’t want to have any interaction with a dead body, unless it resembles the alive one. People are not aware of the amount of waste that is being produced every year because of burials.

The Smissenbroek model is a perfect example of Symbiocene. Just like everything, death in Smissenbroek is somewhat used to start a new cycle of life next year or a couple of years later. People should be included in this cycle as well.

There is a belief that Funerals are for the ones that stay, but do ones that stay need the pollution that funerals create? In this project I would like to show the process of the body’s last journey and present my design for clothing that not only would make the process easier for the Funeral home workers and for the funeral guests to interact with, but also neutral for the environment that is left. . .

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Morning Studio

‘ I hope the future of agriculture includes smaller farms that are more productive and more ecological.’ - Isabelle

Changing habits

For Smissenbroek and Timelab, the project’s focus on community engagement and local resources makes it particularly relevant. Local markets and community gardens are vital in reducing food waste, and the guide encourages participation in these spaces. It also provides opportunities for workshops, such as composting or cooking with local produce, fostering hands-on learning and connection. Using sustainable materials for any printed or digital versions of the guide aligns with Timelab’s circular principles and commitment to reducing waste.

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The project addresses the environmental impact of food waste and highlights the personal and communal beneﬁts of sustainable eating. It encourages readers to support local businesses, strengthen community ties, and make small, meaningful changes in their daily lives. Ultimately, it aims to make sustainability a rewarding and joyful experience, showing that even small steps can lead to signiﬁcant change.

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Taste More, Waste Less Ward Willems season technique material

annual composte food

Changing habits

This project offers a fun and accessible approach to reducing food waste by focusing on simple, practical steps that make adopting greener habits easy. It’s designed to inspire readers to rethink their relationship with food and take action, starting small and progressing at their own pace.

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The guide includes two levels: basic actions like exploring local markets, creative meal planning, and using leftovers, as well as more advanced strategies such as composting, bulk buying, and experimenting with diverse cuisines. Emphasizing enjoyment and progress over perfection empowers everyone to contribute to a more sustainable future.

This guide offers an enjoyable approach to reducing food waste while embracing vegetarian eating habits. Focusing on simple, practical steps helps you make progress without stress or perfection. Start small with easy actions like exploring local markets, planning meals, and getting creative with leftovers. As you grow conﬁdent, advance to strategies like composting, bulk buying, and experimenting with new cuisines. Along the way, you’ll support local communities, nurture healthier habits, and connect with others who share your goals. Reducing waste can be rewarding, delicious, and fun. Progress at your own pace and make every small step count! . . 60 51 60

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Changing habits

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In Smissenbroek, this is not the case. Isabel makes an effort to use everything efﬁciently. Most natural products are composted, and no packaging materials are needed.

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Can we use less? Primo Aretz season technique material

annual activism graphics waste material

Changing habits

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Can we use less? For my habit, I looked at how I could create less trash, focusing on food packaging. It turned out to be quite difﬁcult to produce almost no waste because much of the packaging for food is designed for single use. Therefore, I decided to encourage people to think critically and become more aware of this problem. i did this by making a making a poster

In the pictures, I used trash found on the streets because that is often where single-use packaging ends up. I want to make people reﬂect on and question their use of materials that eventually become waste. With single-use packaging, the circle of circularity is broken. Although some packaging can be recycled, not everything ends up in the right place for recycling.

This project aims to raise awareness about waste and the impact of packaging materials. Throughout the process, Primo began paying closer attention to his surroundings, noticing the trash scattered across streets and public spaces. The posters are designed to encourage people to be more mindful of waste and to think twice before carelessly discarding their trash.

. .

Changing habits

Through this practice, individuals can develop a sense of responsibility for their surroundings while cultivating a peaceful and reﬂective habit. While the habit starts as an individual practice, its potential grows as more people take part.

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By sharing this way of walking and collecting waste participants contribute to a larger conversation about how small actions can lead to meaningful environmental improvement.

A small change, big impact Nina Lindhout season technique material

annual collecting trash - waste

Changing habits

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This project is about fostering a mindful and sustainable relationship with the environment. By turning a simple walk into an act of care.

The goal is not only to clean up litter but to encourage a shift in perspective, to notice the impact of human activity and to take small, consistent steps toward a cleaner world.

The Habit introduces a simple yet impactful practice that encourages individuals to pick up trash during their walks in nature or urban spaces. This habit is designed to promote environmental mindfulness and reduce litter in public spaces. Participants are guided through a step-by-step process in the manual: bringing gloves and a bag for trash collection, sorting waste for reuse, recycling, or proper disposal. By dedicating at least 30 minutes twice a week to this practice, participants not only contribute to a cleaner environment but also document their ﬁndings to reﬂect on the impact of their actions. The manual addresses challenges like dealing with unpleasant waste and offering solutions to make this habit easy and sustainable. Ultimately, “A small change, big impact” transforms a simple walk into an opportunity for environmental care and advocacy. 52

Changing habits

Similarly, water used to rinse rice can be repurposed for boiling or steaming ingredients. The key to maximizing water efﬁciency lies in thoughtful planning— organizing the cooking process to use water step by step without discarding it.

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By following the steps demonstrated here, you’ll see how small changes in habits can signiﬁcantly reduce water consumption in the kitchen. Together, we can embrace more sustainable practices, preserving water as a precious resource while still enjoying delicious meals.

This exhibition provides a practical guide to achieving this, offering tips and techniques to integrate into everyday cooking routines. me their scraps!”

1L Cooking Show Manami Kifune season technique material

annual reuse water

Changing habits

“1L cooking show” explores ways to reduce and reuse water in the kitchen, showing how to prepare a full meal using just one liter of water. Many of us unknowingly waste large amounts of water every day, often because we have easy access to it. By reﬂecting on how water is used in cooking, we can uncover simple ways to minimize waste.

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For example, water used for rinsing vegetables is often poured down the drain immediately, even though it can be reused for other tasks, such as rinsing more vegetables or cleaning utensils. Similarly, water used to rinse rice can be repurposed for boiling or steaming ingredients.

Many of us waste water every day without realizing it because it’s so easy to access. For instance, in the kitchen, water used to rinse vegetables is usually thrown away, even though it can be reused. You could use that water to rinse others produce or save water from rinsing rice for boiling later. By planning the cooking process carefully, you can save a lot of water. By following a method developed by Manami, it’s possible to prepare an entire meal using less than 1 liter of water. Small changes like this can help save water and make a big difference . . .

Changing habits

Aside from making, this practice is heavily based on reﬂection and mindfulness. No action should be taken before good planning and asking questions that make us doubt initial impulses.

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With this in mind, it becomes evident why the guide to follow this habit takes the form of a diary. It is imperative to be able to personalize the meditative part to whatever suits the thoughts that arise at the moment of following through with the practice.

Endless closet Leonor Melo season technique material

annaul ﬁxing clothes

Changing habits

Endless Closet focuses on fixing clothing items sitting in our closets and becoming obsolete with time. Either because they have holes, broken zippers, or missing a button, or even since the clothes no longer fit our visual aesthetic, they are to be fixed or turned into completely distinct pieces.

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The habit focuses on being mindful of our consumption habits. Firstly, it pinpoints how many of our clothes we no longer care about. Secondly, once we start transforming them, we see how much waste (physical and potential-wise) we are producing by throwing the clothes away. This practice goes hand in hand with Isabelle’s sustainable outlook in life, as well as her practice of exhausting the clothes and tools she has.

Endless Closet is dedicated to repairing outdated or unused clothing items. Whether they have holes, broken zippers, or simply don’t match our current style, these pieces can be ﬁxed or transformed into new creations. This practice promotes mindfulness in our consumption habits by helping us recognize how many clothes we no longer value. As we start to repurpose these items, we become aware of the waste produced by discarding them, aligning with Isabelle’s commitment to sustainability and maximizing her resources. Additionally, the process emphasizes reﬂection and careful planning, encouraging us to question our initial impulses. Consequently, the guide for this habit takes the form of a diary, allowing for a personalized meditative experience tailored to our thoughts and feelings during the practice. . 44

Changing habits

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Excerpt from the personal diary I kept during the research phase of designing the composting habit.

The Compostables The Compostables is based on a simple idea: habits stick when they’re easy and rewarding. Simplicity means small, low-effort changes. Rewards come from enjoyment and visible impact. Composting embodies both. Many ecological restaurants and farms, like Isabelle’s at Smissenbroek, welcome food scraps to create compost for their soil. As Isabelle says, “I wish people would bring me their scraps!” The community wormery down the street where I donate my compostables.

A network of local composting drop-off points could make donating food scraps both simple and satisfying. Quality matters too— the better the scraps, the greater the reward for both donors and recipients. By starting small, composting can be a meaningful gateway habit, reducing waste while fostering a stronger connection to sustainability and community.

The Compostables: A Gateway Habit Linde van Vlijmen season technique material

annual composting food

Changing habits

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The Gateway Habit For years, I practiced the classic ostrich strategy for waste management: separating glass and cardboard, donating unwanted items, and feeling absolved of responsibility once they were out of sight. It worked—at least it kept me from despairing over the sheer amount of waste I produced.

But taking a closer look at your waste reveals uncomfortable truths: the takeout box from a lazy evening, pre-cut veggies in plastic, impulse-buy packaging, or wilted produce from the fridge. For a long time, I avoided this reckoning, keeping my head ﬁrmly in the sand.

A designated compost jar shows how many and which compostables I collected after preparing diner.

Collecting waste may not sound exciting, but gathering compostables for a good cause can be! The Compostables is a practical guide to making composting fun, simple, and rewarding. Learn what to collect and where to donate— even if you don’t have a compost bin at home. A printable booklet walks you through the process, encouraging small, sustainable habits. Local farmers and gardeners can use a poster to invite neighbors to donate scraps for healthy soil and nutritious food. More than a chore, collecting compostables fosters mindful choices and serves as a gateway to a more sustainable, healthier lifestyle. With a dummy booklet someone else tested the step-by-step composting guide.

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Changing habits

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4. Confrontation

This 4-step guide can help to create a future with more intent and awareness.

Do you have a bag of old clothes lying around? Or a lot of old clothes hanging on your clothes rack?

Sell what you don’t need. Give them away. Try to ﬁnd new homes for the things you no longer need.

Sorting out things that are no longer used forces you to go through the things you own and evaluate their value.

Mindful consumption Kieu My Le season technique material

annual repairing textile

Changing habits

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“Mindful Consumption”, Kieu My proposes a 4-step guide to better consumption.

Awareness through repair and mending shifts the focus to the things you already have and gives them care and love.

Try to observe when and how you want to spend money. Understanding your needs and where they come from will help you work on them.

2. Repair

1. Awareness through analysis.

You can: Journal - immediately when you feel the urge to spend money or want something.

3. Making If you feel you need to buy something, try making it yourself. This slows down the process of consumption and shifts your mind to a more mindful and slower process.

Our society has grown accustomed to having its needs met instantly. Whatever we desire—consumer goods, news, music, videos, or travel—is just a few clicks away. It takes minimal effort to get a dopamine rush. This convenience breeds a certain restlessness, as it ties closely to dissatisfaction with the present. We’ve forgotten how to sit with discomfort or dissatisfaction in the current moment. Adding to this is the environmental toll of our consumption habits, especially when it comes to disposable, short-lived products, impulse buys, and fast fashion.It’s crucial to analyze, understand, and challenge these patterns. We need to cultivate awareness of what we consume, appreciate what we already have, and consciously reevaluate our relationship with the present and with our possessions. 36

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Changing habits

This guide celebrates the learning process, embracing imperfection and discovery as part of the journey. By adopting this approach, you’ll: • Reduce reliance on commercial products ﬁlled with unnecessary additives. • Gain insights into how natural ingredients beneﬁt your unique hair texture. • Save money while promoting sustainability and reducing your carbon footprint.

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Inspired by the principles of Smissenbroek, this project draws on Isabel’s resourceful methods and invites you to reﬂect on your consumption habits. Together, we step away from the capitalistic cycle and toward mindful, organic self-care. Take this opportunity to reconnect back with nature . With patience and curiosity, Coil Crafted helps you craft a hair journey that is both natural and liberating—one that’s grounded in care, consciousness, and sustainability.

Changing habits

To make this project more approachable there is a ”how to” instruction that comes together with a sustainable grocery bag. The way the bag is made is also circling around the idea of zero waste, which means the pattern is created in a way to optimise used material and prevent any waste material from the fabric.

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This stands as a statement of creating a greater change in our daily life and caring about our planet.

No plastic groceries Ignacy Klammer season technique material

annual recycling environment

Changing habits

This project focuses on how convenience of supermarkets impact the amount of plastic food packaging we produce. By analysing what are the weekly products Igi buys, where he buys them and what is their packaging, he tried to ﬁnd a way to make groceries more sustainable.

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By doing the groceries in a organised and structured way, going to local markets and being mindful of what we buy, not only it makes it easier to provide food for a full week without doing any extra groceries but also it has a positive impact on the environment.

On average we create 1 kilogram of plastic waste per week. Over half of it comes from food packaging.

Grocery shopping and mass food production has signiﬁcantly contributed to global plastic production and global crisis. Through practical analysis and sustainable design, “1000-0” offers insights into minimizing plastic use in daily life and highlights how simple, intentional changes in shopping habits can reduce environmental impact. .

Changing habits

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“Understanding where food comes from is essential, especially for children who aren’t used to eating seasonally. Every spring and fall, I organize nature classes to teach them about the food we grow and the plants that thrive in Flanders plants they could also grow in their own gardens. Many children struggle to identify vegetables like carrot plants, corn, or leeks unless they’re already cut up on their plates. This foundation of understanding their food system helps them see the impact their choices and their parents’ choices have on the environment. It’s an important step toward creating a deeper connection with the food they eat.”

Vegetable card : Bietroot

The game encourages families to explore the different types of vegetables, recognize them, classify them and understand their uses. By engaging with the game, children and parents are introduced to vegetables in a playful yet informative way, allowing them to feel more conﬁdent and creative in the kitchen.

My goal is to help families elevate their diets by eating seasonally, without feeling restricted or frustrated because they don’t know what to do with the vegetables in front of them. The game informs both children and parents about the appearance, types, and uses of different vegetables, while the “how to” that comes with it encourages them to take action and experiment with cooking in creative ways.

- Isabelle

Who is the best cook of the seaon? Clara Kovacic season technique material

autumn - winter reuse food

Changing habits

Through my research on seasonal eating, I found that many families, especially those with younger children, struggle to identify and cook vegetables in ways that showcase their full potential. It became clear that people often lack knowledge on how to make the most of the

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wide variety of seasonal vegetables available to them, leaving them unsure about how to prepare and enjoy these nutritious foods. This led me to create a card game designed to make learning about seasonal vegetables fun and educational.

This project aims to teach children and their families about seasonal eating and vegetable identiﬁcation through an engaging board game. Inspired by Isabelle’s nature classes, which revealed that many children struggled to recognize vegetables unless already prepared, the game offers two gameplay modes: a memory game and a family game Both modes focus on helping players understand the use of seasonal vegetables and encouraging them to experiment with cooking methods. The goal is to make seasonal eating enjoyable and accessible, fostering awareness of the environmental impact of food choices and encouraging families to explore new ways to prepare vegetables.

Vegetable card : Cauliﬂower

Vegetable card : Corn

Changing habits

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The labels I made to hang on those single use glass bottles can offer inspiration for people to find a bottle reuse option that suits their lifestyle. My habit to buy one bottle of milkkefir every week changed into a more sustainable habit. Making my own waterkefir drink is both a way to reduce the amount of milkkefir bottles I buy as well as a way to reuse the bottles and keep them filled as long as possible.

After this juice, what’s my next use? Anna Reith season technique material

fall & autumn reuse glass bottle

Changing habits

The beautiful part about a glass bottle package is that it can be recycled endlessly. But the recycling melting process asks for a lot of energy to get to a temperature of 1200C. To me it’s unfortunate there are no systems in place yet for glass bottles to be washed and reused just like beer bottles

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that are sometimes reused up to ten times. If there would be a glass bottle ´carwash´ those glass bottles could also replace plastic packaging. The juices that are sold at Smissenbroek and the milkkeﬁr, a fermented milk drink,s that I used to buy come in a single use glass bottle

Picture a store shelf full of glass juice bottles with big orange labels hung around their neck. This label is a sign of activism. It is designed to emphasise that a glass bottle package can have a longer lifespan than the juice it contains. The QR code on the back of this speciﬁc label leads you to a reuse recipe. In this case it is an instruction to make your own waterkeﬁr, a fermented drink similar to kombucha, in the bottle you just bought. Would it inspire you to keep this bottle a little longer with you?

Changing habits

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This process raised awareness of paper’s environmental impact and encouraged a shift toward revaluing materials. By sharing In this project, I focused on paper, an everyday material often overlooked, to uncover ways to extend its value and reduce waste. I created my own materials by regenerating discarded paper into new forms, such as lamps, to showcase its potential.

these insights, I hope to inspire a more mindful, sustainable approach to materials, fostering collective action to minimize waste and creatively extend the life of paper.

Paper of life Dabin Jung season technique material

annual educational dialogue paper

Changing habits

Reﬂecting on paper usage offers an opportunity to deepen our awareness of materials and their lifecycle, inspiring a shift in how we think about paper—from its origins to its disposal or potential for extended use. By sharing personal reﬂections on how paper is consumed, discarded, and re-created, we can uncover the hidden environmental impacts of everyday actions and invite others to engage in more conscious practices

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This reﬂection not only highlights the journey of paper—from raw material to waste—but also encourages creative solutions to extend its life. Through thoughtful categorization and reimagining its purposes, we can transform paper from a disposable item into a resource that holds value even after its intended use.

This project examines the lifecycle of paper, from production to disposal, and explores ways to extend its value and reduce waste. By regenerating discarded paper into new forms like lamps, I aim to showcase its potential. Categorizing waste helps identify creative reuse and sustainable alternatives, raising awareness of paper’s environmental impact and encouraging a shift toward more mindful, sustainable practices.

Changing habits

You collect your food waste over the course of a week into different containers. At the end of the week you collect all your food waste and start to create a natural fertilizer out of it. There are a few examples of recipes to turn food waste into a natural fertilizer in the how-to, but there are also a lot of recipes that already exists. After you make your fertilizer, you can use it on your plants, depending on what properties are needed to help your plants grow.

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By collecting your food waste for multiple days, you get a better view at how much food waste you produce. You not only reuse the food waste but also make a great product to help your plants grow from something you would otherwise throw away.

Food to Fertilizer Anna Stalpers season technique material

annual re-using food waste

Changing habits

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On Smissenbroeks farm Isabelle is teaching children where their food comes from and how much effort and energy it takes to produce certain foods. Anna was inspired by this idea. In 2022, Dutch people threw away an average of 33,4 kilos of food per person. Producing food costs a lot of effort and energy and there are many possibilities to use ‘imperfect’ food but also food waste.

Anna Stalpers created a habit where you reuse your food waste to turn this into a natural product to help your plants grow. By doing this, it helps to put the focus on how much food waste you create and helps you become more conscious about your food waste overall, while making a fertilizer for your plants. Different food waste have different properties when turned into a fertilizer, so you can choose speciﬁc properties depending on what your plants need. By doing this habit, you not only reuse the food waste but also make a great product to help your plants thrive from something you would otherwise throw in the bin.

Changing habits

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Currently, the calendar is based around Eindhoven, but the lists and recipes apply for the whole of northern europe, so it can be used outside of its intended setting. If I were to take this project further, I would base the map around Oosterzele, Belgium, where the farm is located, and have the option

Eat the Seasons Eoban Tomlin season technique material

autumn - winter calender food

Changing habits

This calendar takes inspiration from Smissenbroek as a starting point. On the farm, fruit and vegetables are grown organically and seasonally. I realised that the reason this type of agriculture is not widespread is because there is less consumer demand this kind of produce, and by extension, it isn’t proﬁtable for a farmer to grow this way. If, however, we as consumers decided to change our habits, and reject the greenhouse grown or imported produce, the market would be forced to change.

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This would in turn lead to a restructuring of our current unsustainable agricultural system. It has always interested me how consumer demand shapes our entire society, and how because of this consumers hold an immense amount of power, which generally remains unused. I felt like I could make a small contribution to aid people to use this power they hold for good, and at the same time help them make more informed choices about the food they eat.

This calendar is both a statement and a guide. On one hand, the format is designed to pierce through the initial barrier of laziness that haunts every meal time, using lists, recipes and maps. On the other hand, it is a statement, that asks: how would our lives differ if we had ate entirealy seasonally? What is the unconscious impact of buying tomatoes and oranges in December, when there are perfectly ﬁne alternatives? This calendar is the product of my despair after ﬁnding very little information online, and the realisation that the current system is underpinned by lack of transparency. It can be used as a starting point for people to become more connected to the food which is grown in their area.

Changing habits What drives people? What choices do they make?

into the ﬁelds; Changing habits Eat the Season 10 Food to Fertilizer 14 Paper of life 18 After this Juice, what is my next use? 22 Who is the Best Cook of the Season? 26 No Plastic Groceries 30 Uncoil your Truth 34 Mindfull Consumption 38 The Compostables : a Getaway Habit 42 Endless Closet 46 1L Coocking show 50 A small change, a Big Impact 54 Can we use less? 58 Taste more, waste less 60

Inbetween uncertainties Sustainable Burial 64 In Layering 70 The Connection of Beeswax 74 Weave the Willow 78 Natural Insulation Redeﬁned 82 Coming to Senses 86 Compost to color 90 Weed Barrier 94 Big City girl in a big nature world 98 Creating an urban duckweed farm in a vacant plot - Grote berg 13 102 Alien Material 106 Fear Knot 110 The Categorisation 114 The Glaze of Nettles 118

Cross the boundaries passing the garden gate. I enter somewhere, away from city. Transition from fast ways of life to slow boredom, eliminatinghyperactive and over stimulate. Give openness, lost in its own wandering without knowi n g.

- Dabin 3