Building The Local

WHAT Ways to rebuild the endangered ecosystem of local manufacturing. WHY Globalisation has spelt the end of many small-scale industries. In ‘Building the Local’, Ellie Birkhead reacts to this issue in the context of the Chiltern Hills in south-east England. Her project considers local crafts as an essential aspect of cultural identity and a sense of place. HOW Ellie introduced waste products — spent grain from breweries, recycled glass from pubs, waste from farms — from neighbouring industries into the brickmaking process. ‘Building the Local’ enhances the traditional brick with new connections, thereby rebuilding the endangered ecosystem of local manufacturing.