The LICKING ROCKS tea set is designed for drinking lichen tea and is crafted from local natural stone offcuts. This project embodies a tea ceremony that encourages mindful consumption. Lichens, which absorb the flavors of their environment, may even remind you of licking a rock. Julia Schwarz’s research into reusing stone segments led to a highly resource-efficient method for processing stone cups in collaboration with stonemason Stein Schwarz.
Inspired by the mineral nuances in lichens’ taste and the fact that pure tap water is influenced by rocks, SIMIÆN chose to explore stone as a material further. The LICKING ROCKS COLLECTION is named after a lichen tasting where someone compared the taste of lichen to licking rocks. The two-piece tea cup, inspired by Roman wine glasses, is milled on the bottom side to snap securely onto its base. Made from local metamorphite, the collection began with this high cup, followed by the development of low cups and espresso cups.
Credits
Design
Simiæn; Julia Schwarz, Austria
Manufacturer
Stein Schwarz, Austria
Year of production
2023
Photos
Max Manavi-Huber, Sophie Kirchner
