LOUISE PERMIIN

Design researcher, educator and consultancy

What if sheep can help us to think and design differently?


The sheep islands – Design project, 2019

The Sheep Islands is a design project that investigate and develop new system thinking of otherwise yearly burned Faeroese wool. The project aims to communicate the qualities and origin of the Faeroese Nordic Shorthair wool and through experimental design use the knowledge of sheep to rethink new material purposes in local use.

The vision of the project is in to cultivate a holistic material approach in order to lower a yearly waste of otherwise discarded resources. The goal is to shape a new material understanding that valueing wool locally. 


Question?

What is the problem?
On the Faroe Islands, there are 75,000 sheep, each bearing 1 kg of wool.  Annually their wool is harvested, but approximately two-thirds of the wool is gathered, leaving the remaining 25 tons as yearly discarded. 

Field work; Observation of yearly collected Faroe Sheep, Kalsoy, FO. 
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  1. Guiding sheep on the mountain.
  2. Observation of yearly marked and trimmed Faroe Sheep.
  3. The marked and trimmed Sheep.
Field work; Observation of yearly burned pile of  Faroe Sheep wool, Kalsoy, FO. 


Design process

What if we examine how the sheep themselves utilize their wool, taking into account its valuable qualities, and then reconsider our approach to material usage accordingly?

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  1. Understanding the wool composition and ways sheep are using lanolin.
  2. Testing possible buildingblogs in using wool as issolationand wind protection in shelters.
  3. Construction of two installations that can test the development of the woolen buildingblocks. VAK Jyderup, DK. Pieces cutted by CNC in 250×122 in Okouplex, FSC 
  4. Combining the wooden puzzel-pieces for the wool construction.
  5. Adding the Faroe wool into the arranged buildingblocks.


Design

Design; Test, two diverse installations of woolen buildnigblocks made with two different metal frontcovers. Tested at Trudsstrupgods, Rye DK, from the 04.12.2021
Design; Test, instalations after a year. Tested at Trudsholmgods, Rye DK, the 12.12.2022
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  1. Testing instalations after two years. Tested at Trudsholmgods, Rye DK, the 03.07.2023
  2. Testing the surface has become filted and started to be used by animals.

“We need a new system for collecting and using the wool locally whitout to many production steps.”

– Dorthea Joensen, Búndarstovarn, 2019

“You would need to use the eathetic of wool in the building blocks otherwise the costs can not compet with issolation material from the building industry.”

– Karí Thomsen, Easy Dome, 2019


Project management by

Collaboration

  • Búndastorvan,
  • Local sheep breeders (FO),
  • Architects (FO & DK)

Funded by