"SSAL: Rice as Matter is a study by designers Juwon Kim and Na Hyeon that investigates discarded as a design medium rather than a consumable product. The project focuses on rice that has fallen out of circulation, either past its shelf life, unsuitable for sale, or produced as byproducts of the milling process, and examines how material value can emerge once use-value is removed."
"By combining rice with various binders, they produced a moldable and dryable composite material. Particle size emerged as a primary design variable. Larger grains remain visible and tactile on the surface, while finer grinds produce smoother and more uniform finishes. When multiple particle sizes are combined, the interlocking grains create denser structures and more complex textures. This relationship between rice particles and binders functions similarly to aggregate and adhesive in construction, influencing strength, cohesion, and surface character."
Rice discarded from circulation can be treated as a design medium rather than a consumable product. Rice past its shelf life, unsuitable for sale, or produced as milling byproducts can yield material value when use-value is removed. Fieldwork at a local rice mill informed iterative material experiments that combined rice with various binders to produce moldable, dryable composites. Particle size acts as a primary design variable: larger grains remain visible and tactile, finer grinds create smoother finishes, and mixed sizes interlock to form denser structures and complex textures. Surface treatments and natural preservatives can adjust durability, texture, and color.
Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine
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