A demolition site usually signals the end of something. For WAYST, it’s just the beginning. Alkaline’s latest project turns brick rubble and cast-off material into sculptural, functional objects, giving waste a second life, and a story worth keeping.
A pile of brick rubble. A demolished facade. Most of us would walk past without a thought. But at Alkaline, these discarded fragments are reimagined as the beginning of something new – sculptural, functional, and quietly powerful.
Demolition sites usually mark the end of a story. But Chelsea and Andrew Makin see them differently.
“Demolition sites are often where materials go to die, but what if they became supply chains for design?”
That question sparked WAYST (pronounced “waste”) – a growing collection of objects made from rubble, industrial offcuts, and other cast-offs usually destined for landfill. Instead of treating these materials as forgotten, the Makins treat them as memory: evidence of a wall that stood, a structure that held, a space that mattered.
Through casting and reshaping, the duo transforms debris into objects that feel raw, refined, and utterly human.
WAYST’s first pendant light is formed from crushed brick. It’s rough, warm, and unmistakably textural — the story of its previous life baked right in.
There’s also a limited-edition side table, made in collaboration with Cape Town-based metal studio The Minimalist. The top is a terrazzo-like slab cast by Alkaline from salvaged brick. The base is raw stainless steel, fabricated with structural precision. The result feels both industrial and expressive, elevating two of the most recycled materials on the planet into something personal.
“Each object begins with what is often discarded: fragments of rubble, renovation debris, or offcuts from industrial processes. We just ask, what else could this become?”
WAYST isn’t just about reuse. It’s about reimagining. Chelsea and Andrew want to work with demolition contractors and developers directly – especially in hospitality and commercial spaces – to intercept discarded materials before they’re lost. The idea is to not only reduce waste, but to preserve the story embedded in each fragment.
In some cases, that story is emotional. A family home. A heritage building. A long-overdue renovation. The goal? To transform the remains into an object you can actually live with… a sustainable keepsake, not just a landfill casualty.
“We’re exploring how material memory can be preserved through design. You don’t lose the past. You carry it forward in a new form.”
WAYST is just beginning. New materials, new collaborations, and custom commissions are all part of the roadmap. The process is slow, experimental, and deeply intentional – just the way Chelsea and Andrew like it.
Visit Alkaline
- Address: The Old Mushroom Farm, 11 Karkloof Road, Howick, KZN Midlands, South Africa
- Website: alkaline-shop.com
- Instagram: @alkaline_designs
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Diane Wilson
Diane Wilson is Co-Founder and Curator of Fox & Craft. After years spent empowering small businesses and shaping creative spaces, she brings an instinct for beauty rooted in interior design and fine art. She grew up among makers and artists, and she has never lost her eye for the work that feels alive.
