studio thusthat turns the rusty-red waste of aluminum production into delicate ceramics

the vast red landscape behind aluminum

Across the outskirts of aluminum refineries, enormous deposits of rust-colored earth stretch for miles to form strange red landscapes visible even in satellite images. This is bauxite residue, commonly known as red mud, the alkaline waste left behind when alumina is extracted from bauxite ore. More than 150 million metric tons are generated globally each year, adding to stockpiles already estimated at over four billion tons. Most remains in vast storage facilities, despite decades of research into potential uses for the material.

Amsterdam-based Studio ThusThat has been exploring what might become of this enormous industrial byproduct. Its ongoing Red Mud project transforms the residue into finely formed ceramic vessels and experimental building materials, offering an unexpected glimpse of what the waste could become. The finished pieces resemble traditional terracotta, with deep earthy colors and slender forms that seem far removed from the industrial landscapes where their ingredients originated.

studio thusthat turns industrial waste into ceramics

First developed in 2019 at London’s Royal College of Art, the project grew through collaboration with materials scientists at KU Leuven in Belgium. The designers at Studio ThusThat discovered how the residue’s mineral composition, particularly its high iron oxide content, could be adapted for ceramic production. By processing the material and adjusting its composition, they developed recipes suitable for traditional forming techniques, including slip casting. The red mud is used in both the ceramic bodies and their glazes, producing a range of warm reddish tones.

The apparent simplicity of the vessels conceals a fairly complicated manufacturing process. Raw red mud can be highly alkaline and may contain hazardous substances, requiring treatment before it can be safely handled and incorporated into products. Its properties also vary depending on where the bauxite was mined and how it was refined, meaning each new source demands further testing. For Studio ThusThat, the ceramic collection offers a way to make an unfamiliar material tangible, inviting people to reconsider a substance that has long been treated as a liability.

from the tabletop to the coastline

The research has since extended into architecture through a collaboration with London practice Tonkin Liu. Together, the studios explored how red mud could be developed into modular ceramic tiles, with potential applications ranging from roofing to coastal regeneration. The proposed units have shaped surfaces that can collect water or accommodate planting, suggesting a role for the material in landscapes shared with other species. Their modular geometry also allows the components to be combined into larger assemblies.

These architectural studies bring the material closer to the scale of the industry that produces it. Along coastlines, the tiles could potentially support vegetation and create small habitats within waterfront infrastructure, although their long-term environmental performance would require further testing. The proposals remain experimental, with manufacturing partners and larger-scale development needed before the concepts can enter construction. Still, they offer a different destination for a material that currently occupies enormous areas of industrial land.

can architecture absorb the waste of extraction?

For all its potential, red mud presents considerable obstacles to widespread reuse. Processing costs remain high, and many refineries sit far from the industries that might consume their waste. Transporting such heavy material across long distances can quickly undermine its economic and environmental advantages. Regulatory requirements add further complications. According to figures cited by Studio ThusThat, only around three percent of red mud was being repurposed when the research began, despite established methods for incorporating it into construction products.

The team’s ambition is ultimately to see these materials used in architecture, where the quantities involved could make a meaningful difference. There is also a wider contradiction worth considering. Aluminum is increasingly important to renewable-energy infrastructure, yet its production continues to leave behind enormous quantities of residue.

Studio ThusThat’s ceramics offer one small response to that growing accumulation. Whether the material can find a lasting place in construction will depend on what happens beyond the design studio, in the industries capable of using it at scale.

project info:

name: Red Mud
design studio: Studio ThusThat | @studiothusthat
designers: Kevin Rouff, Paco Böckelmann
architectural collaborator: Tonkin Liu | @tonkinliu
scientific collaboration: KU Leuven | @kuleuven

location: Amsterdam, Netherlands; research originating in London, UK

year: 2019, ongoing research

The post studio thusthat turns the rusty-red waste of aluminum production into delicate ceramics appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.