Empordaguia

Josep Matés, a potter from Fonteta, has reinvented the ceramic fridge with minimal energy costs and surprising effectivity.

Josep Matés has always felt the need to make and shape things with his hands, and he has always been most attracted to natural materials such as wood, iron, or clay. “But once my hands had discovered clay it became my favourite. I work with clay nearly every day.” One day Josep heard about a refrigerator invented by a Nigerian. He modified a few details to increase its performance and simplify its use, and now his new model is ready. “The refrigerator can be made in several sizes, depending on the place it is needed. Basically it consists of a cover with a handle, an exterior vessel with drainage, an interior vessel connected to the exterior one by the drainage, and clean sand from the river. All pieces are in terracotta, that is without enamel.”

For the fridge to work correctly, the sand must be moistened with approximately 1 litre of water per week, depending on the season. The evaporation of the water and the sand insulation reduce the temperature inside by about 10 degrees C. It is perfect for keeping cool drinks and is most efficient at conserving food such as fruit and vegetables. www.josepmatés.cat