Portuguese tiles get a modern revamp with the innovative creations from design collaborative Fahrenheit 180. Using biomaterials from the Tagus river that runs through Portugal and Spain, co-founders Luca Carlisle and Jeremy Morris transform humble oyster shells and seaweed into functional surface alternatives.
Initially sourcing spent oyster shells from seafood restaurants, the pair eventually approached oyster farms directly, obtaining consistently larger quantities and diverting the wasted shells away from landfill.
Once collected the shells are then cleaned and crushed, with different sized fragments separated before being mixed with water and a seaweed-based biopolymer called alginate and formed into tiles.
After they have dried, the tiles can be cut and sanded to shape, creating a finished product full of organic charm.
Fahrenheit 180’s tiles are currently on show as part of the From Tagus to the Tile exhibition at the Centro de Arte Moderna Gulbenkian in Lisbon. The various pigments used to colour the tiles are also on display, including the experimental local biopigments that faded after a few days of sun exposure, and the mineral pigments used instead.
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