03BEYOND THE PIT

Beyond the Pit is a charcoal mapping device that explores how the process of woodland management and interaction between humans and trees breathes life into the forest, extending the boundaries and value of a tree beyond a single space.

The project is inspired by initial observations of large fire pits, burned wood, and log piles found on site in Flimwell Park. As a managed woodland, the forest goes through a process of coppicing, physically protecting the soil and woodland and benefiting the community by providing new material for construction and charcoal creation. The device alludes to this reciprocal relationship between the mankind and the forest, allowing for users to record logs, fire pit, and charcoal locations and movements within the forest utilizing charcoal material found on site.

Each component demonstrates how charcoal can be manipulated as a drawing tool through the action of crushing, dragging, pushing, and swiping. The softness of the material reflects the temporality of elements within the site, as constant activity within the forest creates a ever-changing landscape.