DESIGNER

Soundroot Fabric

Mathilde Wittock is a bio/ecodesigner and material researcher with a focus on sustainable innovation. Originally from Belgium, she studied biodesign and industrial design at Central Saint Martins in London. Her work is influenced by her experiences at various design studios like Pentagram, Atelier Van Lieshout, and Futurewave, where she gained a critical understanding of the intersection between design and sustainability.

Mathilde is deeply interested in the sensory qualities of materials, exploring how design can engage all the senses—visual, tactile, auditory, and olfactory. She believes that the emotional impact of a product is significantly enhanced when it appeals to our sensory experiences, fostering a deeper connection between people and the objects they interact with.
Guided by circular design principles, Mathilde emphasizes creating products with their entire lifecycle in mind. She is particularly passionate about regenerative materials, whether sourced from waste or derived from biological processes, believing that sustainability is most effective when materials can regenerate and support continuous use.
Currently based in Brussels, Mathilde collaborates with a university on research into the acoustic properties of materials. Her work in this area seeks to integrate sound into design, contributing to more meaningful and sensory-rich experiences.

SOUNDROOT / Project Overview
The material was originally developed for Radical Anthropocene Adhesionism, an installation designed and curated by architect Lionel Jadot, bringing together designers and material innovators to embody the essence of hospitality. The piece was positioned in the space as a headboard, complementing the salt bed designed by Roxane Lahidji. Together, these biological materials create a dynamic interplay, both contrasting and complementing each other, enhancing the visual and sensory aspects of the space.

SOUNDROOT / Project Description
Soundroot is a “revetement de surface” made from the structure of roots, a regenerative and local material developed by Mathilde Wittock. The material grows from local grass roots in molds to form a dense, textile-like structure. Once harvested, the roots are carefully dehydrated and treated with a bio-varnish to preserve their leather-like texture and durability.
The Root Leather mats are arranged in a scale-like pa+ern, creating a continuous, textured surface that follows the sculpted shape of the hemp structure.
The material is designed to provide a sensory experience, diffusing a natural scent of cut grass, produced by the release of organic compounds. These compounds are known to activate serotonin production in humans, inducing a calming and relaxing effect that evokes childhood memories. This material is intended to bring the feeling of being outdoors, while remaining indoors.