'clayers' by aviad ozery uses layered molds to explore the versatility of ceramics

during his studies at the holon institute of technology in israel, aviad ozery discovered the unique qualities of ceramics. now, the young designer presents his ‘clayers’ project as a tribute to, and exploration of the material’s functionality and versatility.

the finished ceramics all from the same mold
all images © anatoly krinitskiy

the project originates as traditional slip casting technique — one that enabled ozery to understand the value of the material in each of these various forms. the brevity and sharpness of the process is captured in the meeting of the mold and the material. in the moment that the liquid clay meets the mold, the object ‘ends.’ its form will forever be determined by a secondary object influencing both its form and function. the designer then questioned, how can the versatility of the material in a static state be captured?

various sections of the mold

by developing numerous molds that can be matched and rematched, ozery was able to take advantage of a full range of outcomes from the material. the mold is an object within itself – representative of the versatility of ceramics and an agent in its transformation. the designer explains, ‘my attraction to ceramics lies in its versatility – to be able to be both a liquid, a flexible semi-solid, and rigid, and to be able to thrive throughout various processes and manipulations in each of these conditions.’

molds lined up as individual templates

traditionally, the design of a ceramic mold begins with a model that is then copied into a plaster mold and replicated as necessary. the molds in ‘clayers’ had to not only serve this function but also represent the vast variability of the material and its possible outcomes. using the configuration of these various layers systematizes that variability and offers an opportunity for intervention at each step of the way – each layer functions both as its own mold as well as a complement to the layers above and below it.

detail view of the mold and the different textures

maximizing the amount of options for intervention necessitates not only a large number of molds and layers, but a shape that has enough variability to draw contrast in the meeting points between the different layered molds. a cone can continue infinitely in any of the x, y, or z dimension – the ratio of radius to height can remain constant as either of them increases or decreases. this project uses a conical shape that begins at 6cm in diameter and ends at 24cm, at a 70 degree angle.

close up of the screws

the plaster used in the mold is not passive by any means, but a key determinant of the final form and within itself is able to make a statement on the variant quality of the ceramics. this therefore required a more precise approach to the molds as an object, ensuring consistency in shape and texture that will build a sense of continuity between the myriad layers. the production process of the molds themselves was therefore planned accordingly.

fresh out of the mold

each mold was digitally built out of both a laser-cut base and alternating printed walls, using a 3D printer to determine the thickness and cut of the layer. the inner edges of the molds, there are areas left open, to be able to see material that is missing and carriers made of threaded rod. they are built to be pulled from the side and without holes, enabling them to be removed even in the middle of the casting process.

marks of the height, volume and diameter

the printed mold

project info:

project name: clayers

design: aviad ozery

photography: anatoly krinitskiy

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom