Hors sol – a table above ground

Made especially for the exhibition From the ground up at Augusta Gallery, Hors sol is the first design piece co-created by Sonian x BC materials. The table unites locally sourced beech wood and earth-based materials, expressing both teams’ dedication to circular design, local sourcing, and material innovation.

From the start, the design and fabrication were a fully collaborative process. Together, the teams explored material behavior and technical possibilities, from sketches to prototyping. The tabletop was crafted from naturally patterned beech wood harvested in the Forêt de Soignes, while the legs were developed through BC’s R&D on waste-free earth mixtures.

In a unique blend of woodworking and earthcraft, Sonian’s wood shavings were mixed with BC’s excavated loam and sand to form a new mix. The material was pressed into cylindrical formwork, then polished to reveal fine wood textures on the surface. The end result is a type of light earth, with half the weight of a rammed earth for example. It resembles traditional techniques such as cob or adobe mixture.

Hors sol is a piece at the intersection of design and construction, showcasing what’s possible when craftsmanship meets material experimentation. It is the first collaboration between Sonian x BC materials initiated after the Belgian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2023.