Willem Van Doorn

Illumination by Digestion & Surfaces to Sap

Prizes: Melkweg Nominee, Keep an Eye Grant Nominee

Department: Man and Living
Website: willemvandoorn.com

Illumination by Digestion & Surfaces to Sap

Willem van Doorn has returned to the farm where he grew up. Being back on his native soil made him reconsider his environment and the materials and opportunities it yields. The disused gas well beneath the land inspired him to build a bio-digester which runs on local waste. He uses the gas to light his workshop and intends to spread this self-sufficiency principle. He also sought new uses for wood, a material he knows well. Distilling acids and tar, he found he could tap the birches on his land for a refreshing drink. The tapping reservoirs are preserved with a brown tar extracted from the birch-bark. These projects are the first steps towards using the farm as a testing ground for new ideas and designs.