Material Selveges






“Indeed, our ancestors were material scientists” - Akinwumi Ogundiran


  1. Air. Atmospheric Dynamics
  2. Sound. Acoustical Structuring
  3. Mass. Graviceptive Force
  4. Smoke. Aerosol Transience
  5. Scent. Olfactory Ecology
  6. Time. Processual Temporality
  7. Temperature. Thermo-affective Fields
  8. Soil. Earthen Foundations
  9. Glass. Silicate Transparency
  10. Digital. Sensory Futures



About Material Selvedges


pronunciation: /məˈtɪəriəl ˈselvɪdʒɪz/
noun (used with a singular verb)

1. A radio-making project examining materiality through Global Majority First Nations perspectives, with a focus on Southern and West Africa.

Etymology: From material + selvedges (plural of selvedge, also spelled selvage), from Middle English self + edge. The term performs deliberate wordplay with salvage (from Old French salvage, meaning "to save"), invoking both the textile concept of a self-finished fabric edge and the act of recovering suppressed knowledge systems.



Field Notes

  1. A Cartography of the Invisible


About with another



Material Selvedges is based on with another’s third design principle:
‘Multi-Sensory Materialism’ as featured in: designmanifestos.org and designprinciplesftw.com.

In partnership with African Life-Centric Design + 16/16


Material Selvedges - Soil Soil. Earthen Foundations


"The ground we walk on, the plants and creatures, the rain and snow that falls, the rivers and seas, all contain the elements of our bodies." — Thích Nhat Hanh


Research summary:
Soil science reveals complex microbial ecosystems affecting plant health, carbon storage, and water filtration. Indigenous agricultural systems demonstrate sophisticated understanding of soil composition, nutrient cycling, and biological relationships. Traditional soil management practices achieve measurable improvements in fertility and erosion prevention.

Soil as a material:
Soil contains living systems that directly affect food security, water quality, and climate regulation. In land-based traditions, soil is treated as community archive, storing cultural and ecological information through seed banks, seasonal indicators, and management practices. Soil health correlates with human health through food systems and environmental quality.

Ideas we are curious to explore:
1. How traditional soil restoration practices could address contemporary agricultural challenges.
2. The relationship between soil biodiversity and human microbiome health.

Senses:
Tactility, Olfaction, Vision, Gustation, Proprioception.