we+ (JP)
Ancestral Alchemy: Re-binding the Forest
August 2nd – August 8th 2026
we+ Japan
we+ is a contemporary design studio that gives form to new perspectives and values through research-based and experimental approaches.
Founded in 2013 by Toshiya Hayashi and Hokuto Ando, the studio explores the possibilities of alternative design that establishes a close coexistence with the natural and social environment around us, and incorporates a diversity of values that are often forgotten in today’s society, where convenience and rationality are sought. Members with diverse backgrounds and skills: designers, engineers, researchers and writers, come together to present self-initiated projects based on research, both in Japan and abroad. With the knowledge gained from these projects, they participate in a wide range of commissioned work, including R&D, installations, branding, product development, spatial design and art direction for various companies and organizations.
As part of their research initiatives, the studio focuses on projects such as ‘Nature Study,’ which explores the history of human coexistence with nature and envisions new ways of making that integrate natural materials and phenomena; ‘Urban Origin,’ which reconsiders the roots of craftsmanship by interpreting urban waste as indigenous material and reflecting on today’s overly complex production systems; and ‘Hidden Layers,’ which brings attention to overlooked materials and processes, redefining their value through renewed perspectives.
Their works are part of permanent collections at institutions such as the Vitra Design Museum in Germany.
www.weplus.jp
Ancestral Alchemy: Re-binding the Forest
August 2nd – August 8th
Workshop Categories
The Workshop
Glue has always been a quiet but essential material. Long before synthetic polymers, adhesives were produced from local biological sources such as starch, rice and algae to bind elements into unified forms. Ancestral Alchemy: Re-binding the Forest returns to this ancestral knowledge and reconsiders glue as a central design medium.
This workshop proposes to “deconstruct” the forest ecosystem of Boisbuchet and “recompose” it through a new lens, using binding agents developed by our own hands. Participants will synthesize and test bio-adhesives made from sodium alginate, rice and starch, experimenting with viscosity, transparency and drying speed to create personal “recipes.” Rather than focusing on finished objects, the emphasis lies on process — on encountering raw materials, kneading glue and discovering the laws of connection.
Through fieldwork in the forest, branches, stones, soil, leaves and decaying wood will be collected and redefined as design resources. These materials will be ground, solidified with bio-glue and sliced to reveal internal structures, forming new hybrids between natural elements. The final phase will place these transformed materials back into the landscape or indoor spaces, exploring the relationship between intervention and environment.
The adhesives will eventually decompose and return to the earth, acknowledging disappearance as part of design. By shifting the focus from designing objects to designing bonds, participants will develop a personal “Recipe for Engagement” — a methodology for interacting with materials, environment and time, acknowledging ephemerality as part of life.