Oyster matter, making with shells

The natural oyster reefs in the North Sea are disappearing. Oyster reefs provide food, breeding grounds, nursery areas, hiding places and shelter for numerous species that are experiencing habitat decline. By converting oyster shells that have been removed from the sea for consumption into shell paste structures and placing these in the sea, we playfully speculate that new habitats could be supported. As well as speculating on how the material could be returned, this project also highlights the complexity of involving the material, the oyster, the oyster farmer, and the designer in speculative engagements with the environment, industry and the sea itself. We propose a playful demonstration of inviting the audience to participate in making their own speculative habitable structures using low-tech technology. These structures will then be placed in the sea at the end of the exhibition.