(Archive) SOILY

Soily is an earth-like textured tile.

An imbalanced production and distribution of goods in the Soviet Union rendered excessive purchasing habits once the goods appeared available on the market resulting in huge amounts (much more than needed) of goods, in this case tiles, piling up in garages, cellars, and attics of residential houses up to this day, some of them without even having been unpacked.

Already 30 years ago when these clinker tiles were manufactured anew, respective industry statements were issued with a high concern towards the manufacturing as a relevant resource such as clay becoming locally scarce, or worse yet, some of the country’s pits had already been entirely depleted of clay. Now, years are passing by the piles of tile lodging in the corners unattended all the while being discredited by stigmas and aesthetics of the past.

This project aims to rewrite the narrative of these tiles by humbly bringing it down to its materialistic essence – earth. By merging it with a simple pinch of soil, a new and contemporary look is created.

Soily invites to seek pure material appreciation that sweeps the bitter memory floor clean just as cleansing one’s palate to welcome a new taste. soily ignites hope for a new and prolonged life of a neglected clinker tile while simultaneously slowing down extraction of virgin and non- renewable resources.

Materials: vintage clinker tiles dating back to 1987, local soil, glossy clear glaze

Available sizes: 245 x 55 mm, 150 x 150 mm