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Craft Research - Current Issue

Volume 16, Issue 2

Volume 16, Issue 2, 2025

    • Digital earth-fibre craft inspired by traditional basketry

      https://doi.org/10.1386/crre_00155_1

      Natural building materials like clay soils and plant fibres are undergoing a renaissance in ecological design and architecture. Nonetheless, design creativity and fabrication using natural materials have mostly relied on manual techniques, such as cob and rammed earth, which are limited to heavy mass assemblies in rectilinear geometries with thick straight lines. Introducing digital fabrication with diverse ranges of processing parameters to natural materials can introduce novel patterns, textures, geometries and performances. This study explores the integration of 3D printing with soil- and plant-based fibre material recipes with high fibre content, culminating in digitally designed vessels inspired by traditional basketry protocols. Computational models of basket ‘wall’ profile typologies, from vertical to convex and concave geometries, were evaluated for their resulting printed patterns and structural stability. The texture results achieved in this work aim to challenge the digital aesthetics dominated by petroleum-based or thermoplastic pastes. Distinct printing qualities and pattern resolution were shown to be achieved for different fibre types, from wheat straw to longer hemp and banana fibres. By leveraging digital tools to reimagine ancient materials and techniques, this research aims to foster a deeper connection between constructed forms and our relationship with soil and plants as essential stewardships required for environmental agency in creative and accessible design. Exhibited in several design venues, the resulting artefacts showcase novel fusions of material surface patterns, crafted through machine deposition, embodying traditional inspirations in sustainable digital design.

    • Reviving heritage crafts: Connecting communities with coppicing

      https://doi.org/10.1386/crre_00162_7

      Heritage crafts have experienced a revival in recent years, driven by a growing demand for authenticity, sustainability and meaningful engagement. Despite this resurgence, systemic barriers, including the decline of vocational education and a cultural disconnect between urban settings and rural crafts, have excluded many working-class urban young people who once formed the backbone of these trades. This case study examines a community-driven heritage initiative centred on the restoration of an urban hazel coppice adjacent to the historic Hafod/Morfa Copperworks in Swansea. Co-produced by Swansea University, local stakeholders and educational institutions, the project aimed to equip participants with rural heritage coppicing skills whilst restoring a small hazel coppice using traditional methods through an immersive coppicing programme. Participants engaged in traditional crafts such as dead hedging, hazel stool cutting, tool maintenance and sustainable land management, under the guidance of a traditional coppice worker and experienced volunteers. By combining hyper-local project accessibility with practical, hands-on skill-building within an intergenerational support network, the initiative successfully addressed the participants’ self-identified barriers to learning. This co-produced approach allowed the project to achieve high levels of participation and satisfaction, enhancing confidence, well-being and community pride, while also inspiring further workshops and volunteer activities. By employing a co-production framework that brought together community input, statutory authorities and traditional expertise, the project provides a replicable model for introducing rural heritage skills into urban environments.

  • Portrait

      • Constructivist glazes of Christina Schou Christensen

        https://doi.org/10.1386/crre_00156_1

        Ceramic art, as a field of contemporary creativity, has witnessed many innovative approaches. Danish artist Christina Schou Christensen’s groundbreaking exploration of ceramic glazes represents a significant shift in how glaze is understood within the discipline. Through her pioneering artworks, Christensen moves beyond conventional views of glaze as decoration, instead presenting it as a crucial structural element integrated into the overall form. With carefully planned experimentation in chemical composition, glaze movement and firing methods, she takes advantage of these properties to create sculptural forms that are both technically intricate and visually compelling. By extending the possibilities of ceramic practice and embracing the unpredictability of the glazing process, Christensen merges scientific awareness with artistic intent, elevating her work in both technical and aesthetic terms. Her approach not only broadens expressive potential but also underscores the close interconnection between material science and creative design. Through her tests with glaze formulation and kiln dynamics, she illustrates how a strong grasp of ceramic chemistry can actively influence artistic outcomes, opening fresh opportunities for exploration in the field. Her work stands as evidence of the transformative role of experimentation, offering insights into how ceramic chemistry, mathematical logic, and design principles can intersect to shape innovative results.

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