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Haut/Haut is an interactive, immersive installation that explores agar-based bioplastic as a sustainable alternative to synthetic plastic. The project by Lotta Bauer experiments with bioplastic at a larger scale while proposing a more sensitive and harmonious relationship with materials by acknowledging their living origins. It responds to the emotional and ecological distance created by petrochemical plastics, which are often perceived as cold and lifeless, and instead imagines materials that foster empathy and connection.
Agar based bioplastic is biodegradable, plant-derived, and perishable, qualities that align it more closely with living systems. Its skin-like appearance and tactile versatility ranging from soft and oily to firm and rough encourage intimate interaction through touch. A two meter long walk in structure covered in agar bioplastic invites visitors to crawl inside and explore the material tactually. Touch activates an interactive soundscape, turning contact into a dialogue. Through this sensory experience, Haut/Haut challenges conventional perceptions of plastic and invites a reconsideration of material choices and their impact on the world.
Agar bioplastic is made by heating agar, glycerine, and water, optionally adding pigments or fibers, then pouring the mixture into moulds to cool and dry. The material is thermoplastic, allowing it to be reheated, dissolved, and reused.
