My disposition to study a composite material came from an interest in experimenting with materials already ubiquitous in architecture, that if used together could create a hybrid that would be valued for its aesthetic or performative qualities. I was initially intrigued by the Japanese wood-charring technique, shou-sugi-ban, as it not only applied a unique finish to a common material, but also imbued that material with properties that increased its longevity. I hypothesized that if this technique used for finishing wood were applied to wood aggregate embedded in concrete, it could transfer some of its material properties to this new hybrid material.

Critic: Emily Abruzzo