A groundbreaking architectural project is transforming discarded oyster shells from Portugal's food industry into sustainable biomaterial tiles that pay homage to Lisbon's iconic azulejos tradition. The innovative installation, titled "From the Tagus to the Tile," was developed by the architectural collective Fahrenheit 180º during the 2024 Radical Waters & Concrete Matters residency and later showcased at the Gulbenkian Center of Modern Art in Lisbon.
Designed by Swiss architect Jeremy Morris and Portuguese-Swiss architect Luca Carlisle, the project addresses the massive waste problem in Portugal's seafood industry, where approximately 60,000 tons of oyster shells are discarded annually by restaurants and farms. The architects have developed a revolutionary process that transforms these shells, combined with seaweed from the Tagus River and Sado Estuary, into biodegradable tiles that dissolve back into nature after use.
The installation comprises three sculptural furniture pieces - a modular kitchen, a bench, and a linear table - all featuring the bio-tiles. The designers describe these works as "Creepy Crawlers" that resemble sea creatures from an underwater world, appearing awkward and angular yet compelling when placed in the museum gardens. The pieces embody both cultural memory and ecological consciousness, serving as dreamers or wanderers that seem out of place in their terrestrial surroundings.
The tile-making process begins with collecting oyster shells directly from farms or restaurants, followed by sterilization using heat and UV treatment. The shells are then ground into fine powder with varying aggregate sizes and blended with seaweed, which acts as a natural binder. This innovative approach not only addresses waste management but also highlights the often-overlooked ecological role of oysters, which help clean water, support marine life, and protect coastlines.
In collaboration with PhD student Mariana Simões, the architects experimented with natural pigments derived from local sources including microalgae (producing blues, greens, and pinks), plants such as poppy seeds, and mineral oxides from stones. Simões's research revealed the diverse color palette along the Tagus River banks, showing that while the river is typically viewed in blues and greens, its shores display a rich spectrum from earthy oxide hues to the vibrant pinks of microalgae.
The research revealed that microalgae-based colors evolve and fade over time, leading the team to explore more stable natural alternatives. This ongoing experimentation resulted in the development of a mineral-based blue that combines stability with heritage connections, demonstrating the iterative nature of their material research and development process.
The project advocates for bioregional thinking and draws renewed attention to the overlooked legacy of oyster farming in the Tagus estuary, a once-thriving practice that was disrupted by industrialization. By honoring Portuguese cultural identity through contemporary reinterpretation of traditional azulejos, the collective aims to raise awareness about ocean literacy, highlight pollution in the Tagus River, and showcase oysters' role as ecosystem bioengineers.
This research-based approach to water-sensitive materials in coastal environments demonstrates how design can respond to both local and global challenges. The project exemplifies a broader movement in architecture toward regenerative practices, where materials are never truly "finished" but continue to evolve through reuse and experimentation. The architects position their work within a growing field of innovative material applications, from transforming plastic waste into affordable housing to repurposing food waste for civil construction, suggesting a future where every stage of material use becomes an opportunity for further exploration and environmental restoration.
