Recycling of hair and horse manure to build bricks, an excellent solution to respond to climate change

A female designer from the UK has studied and released clay bricks and waste products such as hair and horse manure.

Ellie Birkhead, from England, graduated with a master's degree in design from the Eindhoven Design Institute. She has researched and launched construction bricks with components of agricultural waste such as straw, hair, horse manure, glass pieces . With the desire, her bricks will be the future solution. for the agricultural sector as well as the local industry, further is the meaning of a green and less polluted living environment.

Young designer Ellie Birkhead with the project aimed at his indigenous nature.

Ellie shared that her bricks were made from excess hair from hairdressers, straw and discarded fleece, horse manure from stables, glass bottles from local pubs or extra grain from the process. beer.

The Ellie tiles were created to combine the natural properties of clay and the artificiality of agricultural waste products.

Hair is used to make unburnt bricks, fiber or tiles, often made from straw. Tiles from sheep and horse manure are similarly made.

Bricks from straw ash are fired, straw changes the color of bricks. Similarly, when adding scrap is glass also gives different colors and glazes. The material of the grain is burned when heated, so the final product is brick with small holes like honeycomb.

Each additional ingredient provides a sensory effect on bricks.That makes diversity and aesthetics better than other conventional bricks.

All of these materials are sourced from Chiltern Hills, which was once the center of brick production in the UK. In the past, most of the houses here were built with traditional red orange bricks.

Birkhead, originally from Buckinghamshire, works in the traditional and handicraft industries that are in danger of being eroded in England. In a promotional video for her project, she asked whether it could overcome the pressure of globalization to build a new future for the local industry.

Ellie is concerned about the indigenous nature and the traditional manufacturing industries are gradually eroded by the impact of increasing urbanization.

Birkhead identified brick production as an important part of local identity: 'Brick is not merely a material but it is comparable to any architectural court and has the ability to change its appearance. a region. '

Using bricks with indigenous materials, will create the unique and unique nature of the place. Ellie thinks so, which is a direction that can change positively from the negative effects of globalization.
She also added: " The diverse colors of bricks immediately tell you its origin. Tiles imported from foreign countries or other regions will lose this cohesion and diversity."

Birkhead discovered Chilterns used to be a small-scale production center, households shared materials and used each other's scrap. Therefore, she wants to create new connections, creating a unique brick production model, contributing to maintaining the local profession.

"This project shows a view of local production that can be applied anywhere," said the female designer.

Not only has a good impact on the environment, this type of brick that this young designer produces also has many human meanings.


And is it possible that in Vietnam, where the urbanization trend is also making the craft industries in the future, an introspective study like Ellie's is feasible?