FURNITURE
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Story&Concept-
Our Brick Journey
消失的紅磚
臺灣傳統三合院四合院的紅磚建築已
剩不多，現今大多以鋼筋水泥取代紅
磚，紅磚被運用的機會逐漸減少，由
於需求量的減少，導致早期磚窯廠遍
佈的盛況消失，且成為現在的夕陽產
業。當初是以製磚瓦為生的鄉鎮，如
今熟悉的紅磚已不再熟悉。
磚在江湖，身不由己
深入走訪磚窯廠，從年邁的老師傅口
中得知，年輕人不願從事這個行業，
因為製磚環境差，賣勞力又要遠離都
市。製磚產業從日據時代就開始，但
是過度開採導致土壤結構不穩，燒磚
時排放出的有害氣體更是嚴重破壞環
境，環保意識高漲的當代，政府設立
了許多法規來限制燒磚的數量，違法
者以數十萬到數百萬的罰款懲處，導
致現在紅磚幾乎都是以進口代替生產
。種種原因使得許多磚窯廠無法生存
，少數轉型成觀光工廠，其它則歇業
倒閉。
舊機器，新生命
本專案嘗試延續紅磚文化，我們發現，在窯燒前有一套系統化機器執行窯前磚的製作，因停止窯燒，被迫閒置。為了延續機器與磚新的生命，我們設計一套家具供機器生產，做法是更換機器上的模具，將擠出的土板符合我們要的家具尺寸，也能以電窯燒製，改善造成空氣汙染的問題。
*系統化機器：從黏土加水攪拌後，過濾雜質，透過模具高壓擠出，到切割成形的一套流程機器。
*窯前磚：在燒窯前的紅磚土稱為窯前磚，窯燒後則稱為窯後磚。窯後磚也就是生活中常見的紅磚。
磚泥的新非常關係
磚與水泥的關係密不可分，傳統砌磚
時，磚為主、水泥為輔，一層一層由
下往上逐一構成。透過設計，改變磚
與水泥之間的關係，成為一組新家具
：將紅磚排列在正確位置，以水泥串
聯全部紅磚。水泥與紅磚是結構也是
造型，企圖詮釋現代兩者的新關係。
What happened to the brick industry?
During a trip to Lioujia District, a small rural town in northern Taiwan, we saw some traditional courtyard houses with red brick walls along the streets, a scene rarely seen at the present time. As most of the modern buildings are made of steel, the demand of red bricks decreases rapidly. Now there are only a few brick factories left. Is there a future for these factories? What should they do to survive?
The brick industry is doomed to fade away.
During the field trip, an old workman told us the present situation of the sunset industry. Most brick factories are forced to close down because young people are unwilling to do the heavy work, the quality of clay is unstable, and the brick manufacturing causes air pollution. The remaining factories transform into tourism factories to survive.
Old Machine, New Lives
It is a pity to see the old machines put aside in the idle factory. Bricks can fall into two categories: pre-baked bricks and post-baked bricks. These machines were used in the pre-baked brick stage. In the stage, with the machine, the clay would undergo a few processes before becoming pre-baked bricks. First, the machine would filter out the impurities from the clay and blend it evenly with some water. Then, it would squeeze the clay through the mold with high pressure and in the end, cut the clay into small pieces--namely, pre-baked bricks. We hope to revive the machines by changing the size of mold into smaller ones to make smaller bricks for electric baking, which releases only non-poisonous gases.
New relationship between brick and cement
Bricks are stacked layer by layer with a thin bed of cement in between in traditional building skills. Through design, we can change the placement of brick and cement to make new furniture by putting the bricks in their positions first and then pour cement into the designed channel to connect the whole structure. In so doing, both brick and cement are major parts of the structure.