Dirty chair N.4 is a stepping stone in Aléa’s ongoing experimentations for their research project Back to dirt.

It differs from previous experiments - instead of working in-ground outdoors, the process now brings soil into the studio where the duo successfully fabricated a chair submerged in soil inside a glass tank. This is the first step in developing a middle ground where the process requires the use of soil while the designer retains some control over the material properties. 

‘Back to Dirt’ is a transdisciplinary research project that proposes a new, more locally attuned and integrated process of working with mycelium. In embracing the interrelationships of mycelium Aléa looks to imagine new ways of making that benefit the other-than-human world. 

The project is supported by FAIRE, a program launched by the Pavillon de l'Arsenal with the support of the City of Paris, the Caisse des dépôts, EDF and MINI.