Once they were welcomed to the city as easy-to-domesticate birds, but today pigeons are considered ‘flying rats’ that carry diseases and always choose the wrong spot on your windowsill or balcony. Marjolein Stappers found that the nuisance is mostly caused by the fact that they all settle in the same popular spots, especially on the adornments placed on building facades. These resemble their natural habitat of rocky cliffs. She designed a series of ornaments – true to the Dutch canal house style – that pigeons won’t be able to resist. Placed on blind walls, bricked-up windows and high spots where they won’t bother anyone, these ‘Duifies’ will make both people and pigeons happy.

Graduation project

Oesterplat

Marjolein Stappers

Oysters are increasingly popular as a delicacy, but they are also cultivated for being excellent natural water filters. Marjolein Stappers investigated yet another interesting feature of these versatile creatures. Struck by the beauty of their shells after savouring them at a restaurant, and noticing how they were thrown away as garbage, she came up with the idea for Oesterplat. She started to collect the empty shells from restaurants and found a way to turn them into something more durable. The result is an elegant tile collection made of concrete, marble and... oyster shells, showing their mother-of-pearl shine as newborn fossils.

Department

Public Private

Degree

Bachelor

Graduation year

2017

Website

www.dwerkplaats.com

Photoshoot

Femke Reijerman

Hi-Res images