* Rammed Earth – Page 4 – EARTH ARCHITECTURE

November 5, 2024March 17, 2026

Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Mauricio Rocha

Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired / Taller de Arquitectura-Mauricio Rocha - Courtyard, Facade, Bench — Photograph by Luis Gordoa

Architects: Mauricio Rocha, Taller de Arquitectura Mauricio Rocha

Area: 91,493 ft²

Year Built: 2001

City/State: Iztapalapa, Mexico City

Country: Mexico

Located in Iztapalapa, Mexico City, the Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired is designed to address the unique sensory and social needs of its users.

The center was established as part of the government’s initiative to address the pressing need for services in one of the city’s most densely populated and underserved districts. Iztapalapa not only has one of the highest populations in Mexico City but also the largest concentration of visually impaired residents making this essentially very critical.

Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired / Taller de Arquitectura-Mauricio Rocha - Image 2 of 28 — Photograph by Luis Gordoa

Constructed from volcanic rock, the boundary wall encloses the complex on all sides, acting as both an acoustic barrier and a retaining wall for earth relocated from nearby areas. While its exterior is minimal and unadorned, the interior facade transforms into varied banks that shift in shape, height, and orientation, forming a series of intimate courtyards. These enclosed outdoor spaces enhance sensory experiences, offering quiet, reflective areas for users within the bustling district.

Centre for visually imparied rocha carrillo architectural review drawings 2 — Drawing Courtesy of Taller de Arquitectura Mauricio Rocha

Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired / Taller de Arquitectura-Mauricio Rocha - Image 28 of 28 — Drawing Courtesy of Taller de Arquitectura Mauricio Rocha

Materiality is vital in this project as it enhances spatial perception, activating the senses as sources of experience and information. Organized into rectangular prisms with concrete frames and flat roofs, each section varies in size, light intensity, and material weight to make spaces easily identifiable. Rammed earth was also chosen for its contrasting textures to the volcanic rock to provide tactile cues that aid navigation.

Gallery of Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired / Taller de Arquitectura-Mauricio Rocha - 4 — Photograph by Luis Gordoa

Centre for visually imparied rocha carrillo architectural review drawings — Drawing Courtesy of Taller de Arquitectura Mauricio Rocha

The floor plan functions as a series of “filters” extending from the entrance, beginning with administrative offices, a cafeteria, and utility spaces. This layout, combined with sensory materials, allows users to navigate intuitively.. Overall, this thoughtful space prioritizes accessibility and engagement, creating an environment that fosters independence, and comfort.

References:

“Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired / Taller de Arquitectura-Mauricio Rocha” 11 Aug 2011. ArchDaily. Accessed 17 Mar 2026.

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October 29, 2024March 17, 2026

Xiguan Lei

Name: Xiguan Lei 習關磊

Occupation: Sculptor, Painter, Poet.

Born: Dali, China, in 1994

Location: He now lives and works in Chongqing and Dali.

Xi’s art, which is always gentle – even to the point of being hard to discern, built as it often is from organic matter and placed amongst leaves, moss, stones, and bark – is also, in fact, making a very bold and visionary proposal.

Nature and Self

Xi’s proposal is this: that Self and Nature need not be separate entities. He is not expressing or documenting or representing either Self or Nature. Instead, he is exploring ways that Self and Nature relate and interpenetrate. He is actively demonstrating that one is part of the other. Thus, his interventions into Nature are a ‘working with’ Nature’s materials and a ‘working with’ Nature’s seasons and Nature’s cycles of time. If we see his naked body becoming part of the work, it is not to promote the ego of the artist, or to titillate – it is to make the far bolder assertion that we, as human beings, are part of Nature’s constant motion and materiality.

1476 Sounds from Fallen Leaves and Soil, 2024

“The soil is part of us. We are part of the soil. The bamboo forest is part of us. We are part of the bamboo forest. We are as vulnerable as Nature, as porous, as interdependent, as constantly changing, as borderless.”

1476 Sounds from Fallen Leaves and Soil No.2, 2024

In his artistic practice rooted in human interventions into nature, the creator Xiguan Lei becomes a subtle orchestrator, leaving vanishing trails and marks that seamlessly blend with the natural landscape yet bear the unmistakable imprint of human hands. Reminiscent of land art pioneers like Richard Long or Robert Smithson, the artist engages in a poetic dialogue with the environment, crafting ephemeral installations that challenge the boundaries between the natural and the man-made.

Geometric Concepts

Xi’s methodology is influenced by Descartes’ and Spinoza’s geometric concepts including Rectangular Setup and Extension, Einstein’s theory of space, and the mathematical ideas of Euler and Gauss. He lays out the material in a particular shape, size, volume, and manner. We can see the sharp and hard edges and minimalism everywhere in the various forms of adobes and plants, with parts of the works independent of and also participating in the whole. Xi advocates that the viewer “walk through” the landscape and perceive the deep connection with nature. Put together, the images of their works both reveal the sense of mystery and miracle, where artistic phenomena are created and disappear in the rhythm of nature.

In the Midst of the Vale, Teir Leaves Grow Lush on Soil, 2021

Afield the Creeping Grass, With Crystal Dew O’verspread, There’s a Beautiful Lass With Clear Eyes and Fine Forehead, 2020

Classic of Poetry (Shijing)

The first song in the Classic of Poetry, handwritten by the Qianlong Emperor, with accompanying painting

Xi gathers material on the spot including soil and plants to create his works. Surrounded by mosses, ferns, and seed plants, the hand-made adobes are arranged solidly in a structural manner. This is the most iconic series of his works whose titles are quoted from classical Chinese literature: the Book of Songs and the Songs of Chu, such as It is Nice to be in the Garden, There is a Sandalwood (乐彼之园，爰有树檀) (2019), Swoop Flies that Falcon, Dense that Northern Wood (鴥彼晨风，郁彼北林) (2020), and The Appearance and Height of the Lush Plants Match Beautifully (纷緼宜修) (2020). Xi borrows these responses from ancient Chinese philosophers to the rhythms of nature, alluding to the unity of the abstract structure and figurative content in his works, and the fusion of classical Eastern aesthetics with Western spatial geometry. Legitimately, Xi calls his works “Land Art” rather than installations or sculptures. In terms of Land Art, it uses nature as the creative medium, and always emphasizes the visual form of the site-specific context, looking for an organic integration between the works and nature. One Issues from the Dark Valley and Removes to the Lofty Tree (出自幽谷，迁于乔木) (2019) , one of the series of adobes, created in 2019 and eroded back to the land during the rainy season in 2021, which is a vivid projection of the journey of human life.

The lush vegetation perfectly matches the scale and height.2020

From the Deep Vale Below To Lofty Trees are Heard, 2019

Taoism and Anthropocene era

Lei’s work does not need – and probably not always meant – to be contained in a gallery or put against a wall because this would undermine his core artistic if not philosophical purpose: this is only in nature, out in the open air, where Lei’s adobes turn to be his art. This is out there that time can do his essential share, that is slowly absorbing as a sound graft Lei’s adobes as they are designed to be. Lei’s structures, given the infinite potential of adobes, can take all sort of forms: they can be seen as burial site or places of meditation – see “1120 Conversations I had with Moss and a Rock”, “I’m Walking in the Field”.

1120 Conversations I Had with Moss and a Rock , 2023

Once build or installed in nature, Lei’s structures slowly fade away, change form and aspect over time and may eventually disappear. This is a key point about Lei’s artworks: as they are made from earth, they are designed to evolve when placed on the ground, slowly and silently, and possibly completely disappear. This gives the opportunity for the observer to witness not a still artwork but an evolution, that is the exact opposite of a still life: real life. We cannot but notice the humility of Lei’s artistic approach. From a Chinese viewpoint, the reference to Taoism comes readily to the mind when trying to understand Lei’s artistic approach. Laozi Tao Te Ching, to put it in a few poor words, teaches us that all things come from a unique energy, transforms, fades away and recycle in the “logos”.

Xiguan Lei’s artistic practice holds a significant role within the contemporary environmental discourse framed by the Anthropocene. As we grapple with the profound impact of human activities on the planet, his installations and sculptures serve as poignant reflections and catalysts for conversations surrounding humanity’s relationship with the environment in this epoch. The ephemeral nature of his works mirrors the transience inherent in the Anthropocene era. The marks left by the artist’s body and other interventions evoke the impermanence of our impact on the environment, fostering a contemplation of the evolving and often precarious balance between human activity and the natural world.

The Falcon Flies Above To the Thick Northern Wood, 2020

Lei considers his art “a grand and silent game of building blocks”. He also told that those adobes could be considered words. That begs the question of their meaning. Just as the stones used in ancient civilization building, Lei’s adobes talk to anyone willing to listen. But the observer has to be tender ear because Lei’s art is elegant and subtle enough only to whisper. As to what it is whispering, “The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao”. This is how much Xiguan Lei’s art can offer: a glance at eternity.

References:

[1] https://www.xiguanlei.com/

[2]Classic of Poetry – Wikipedia

[3]Chu Ci – Wikipedia

[4]Moss and a Rock — Xiguan Lei

[5]Extension — Xiguan Lei

[6]Time — Xiguan Lei

October 29, 2024March 17, 2026

Andy Goldsworthy

Review: In 'Leaning Into the Wind — Andy Goldsworthy,' an Artist Grapples (Again) With Time - The New York Times

The artist Andy Goldsworthy in “Leaning Into the Wind.” Credit:Thomas Riedelscheimer/Magnolia Pictures

Andy Goldsworthy is an international based artist born in England. His art process is known for integrating and creating with the natural environment. Working as both sculptor and photographer, Goldsworthy crafts his installations out of rocks, ice, leaves, or branches, cognizant that the landscape will change, then carefully documents the ephemeral collaborations with nature through photography.

Andy Goldsworthy’s installation Tree Fall

Andy Goldsworthy, “Tree Fall“, 2013

Goldsworthy has numerous art installation and creations. However, his art installation, Earth Wall, utilizes rammed earth and eucalyptus branches to illustrate simulated layers of earthen materials as an art form and not as a structural material.

Andy Goldsworthy with an installation in San Francisco, tentatively titled Earth Wall. Photograph by The Chronicle's Sam Whiting. Andy Goldsworthy, Earth Wall, 2014, Photograph by The Chronicle’s Sam Whiting.

In order to construct this installation Goldsworthy and his team collected curved eucalyptus branches from San Francisco’s Presidio. Then they installed a sphere of branches onto a wall before the formwork for the rammed earth wall is installed.

Eucalyptus branches from the Presidio installed before the formwork for the rammed earth wall is installed.

After which, a shutter formwork was constructed in front of the wall. Then locally sourced Presidio earth mixed is poured into the forms, and ramming begins. Rammers carefully compact earth around the twisted ball of Eucalyptus branches. Once poured, the formwork is removed revealing a freshly packed rammed earth wall and the center point of the ball of gnarled eucalyptus branches.

Artist Andy Goldsworthy poses with the installation before beginning to dig out the earth surrounding the encased eucalyptus wood.

Once hardened, Goldsworthy excavates the rammed earth from around the gnarled eucalyptus wood.

Artist Andy Goldsworthy excavates the rammed earth from around the gnarled eucalyptus wood.

For a more detailed visualization view this video.

Andy Goldsworthy continues exploring the relationship between art and the natural environment. His ability to become attuned to his environment mentally, physically, and emotionally, creates a unique perspective of the human and natural world.

“We often forget that WE ARE NATURE. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we’ve lost our connection to ourselves.”

– Andy Goldsworthy

A family walking near Andy Goldsworthy’s Wood Line, with a bicycle in the foreground.

Andy Goldsworthy, “Wood Line“, 2011, Photograph by Brian Vahey.

References:

October 15, 2024October 15, 2024

Munarq: Ca na Pua an Earthen Oasis

_DSF9091 Image Source: Munarq

Project Start : 2021
Project End : 2024
Location : Binissalem, Mallorca, Spain.
Team : Munarq Architects
Gross Floor Area: 300 m²

Ca na Pua is a sustainable earthen home built in Binissalem, Mallorca; an island off the shore of Spain’s Mediterranean Sea. Ca na Pua was designed by munarq, an architectural studio based in Mallorca founded by Rafel Munar and Pau Munar focused on the integration of architecture in the Mediterranean landscape. inclusion of the environment

To construct this house munarq used an old local Mallorcan technique known as ballast. During this process, aggregates of various sizes, stone, and lime are mixed together to create a strong base. Then an open diffusion membrane between two ballast to allow for waterproofing. Waterproofing supports the overall longevity of the building while maintaining a healthy indoor environment.

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The interior of the house uses a coat of earth and lime that creates hygrothermal environment environment. The earth-lime mixture acts as a natural buffer, absorbing and releasing moisture to maintain a comfortable and stable indoor climate.

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The roof is insulated using straw coverage laced between laminated wood beams. This setup creates a dense and well-integrated insulation layer that provides thermal resistance.

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There is an interaction with the built environment with the build patio or oasis shared within the home.

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October 15, 2024March 17, 2026

Anna Heringer: DESI Training Center

DESI Training Center, Rudrapur, Bangladesh

Built in 2008 in a small village called Rudrapur in Northern Bangladesh, the DESI (Dipshikha Electrical Skill Improvement) Training Center is a vocational school for electrical training. At the age of 19, the architect of this project, Anna Heringer, lived in Bangladesh for a year working with the NGO Dipshika on sustainable development. She quickly learned from her time in Bangladesh that the most successful development strategy is to “trust in existing, readily available resources and to make the best out of it instead of getting depended on external systems.”

The DESI Training Center uses traditional Bangladeshi homestead plans as basis for interrogation. As in many Central/South Asian home plans, the traditional Bangladeshi home consists of multiple structures possessing different programs situated around a central inner courtyard. The DESI building attempts to bring all of these different programs under one structure, while still utilizing traditional building methods.

The buildings main structure comprises of wattle & daub techniques utilizing thick bamboo as a lattice frame work to capture and give form to the piled earth added by hand.

In the image above, notice the circular mounds of excavated earth in the foreground. It is beautiful to realize the connection between construction and construction site sharing the same environment and materials simultaneously in an act of reciprocity.

Although a school for electrical training, most of the labor and energy placed into the build were still based on analog and traditional technologies. Here cattle are used to mix the soil that is to be used for the daub, engaging local workers and craftsmen in the process of the entire project.

It is interesting to witness an environment that was built to serve technology, in this case electrical technology, not take the form of its inherent use. A college campus may design and build an “engineering” building to feel like “engineering”, to feel technologically modern and well equipped for the learning that will occur within its walls, however the DESI Training Center shows us how these ideas and typologies can sometimes misinform the design process, and ultimately the design problem at hand.

The entire building is hooked up to solar panels for power, producing 100% of the building’s energy needs. The heating system is based on solar thermal technologies, and solar power also powers the pump for accessing water from the onsite well. This also perhaps (reference needs to be checked) the first time modern sanitary unties + septic tanks have been integrated into an earthen structure in Bangladesh.

The DESI building houses two classrooms, two offices, and two residences for the school instructors. There is a separate bathroom with two showers and two toilets for the teachers and a bathroom facility with toilets and sinks on the ground floor for the students. [source] Bearing no loss in traditional culture, material, or forms of making, this building embodies the possibilities of a modern earthen architecture applied to a specific set of requirements, needs, and programs. The DESI Training Center acts as model to realize the full potential an earthen architecture can deliver humans in the modern age, without having to compromise many facets of modernity that are considered incompatible with earth.

Size: 300m2

Location: Rudrapur, Dinajpur district, Bangladesh

Year: 2008

Photos: Team Rudrapur, B.K.S Inan,

Architects: Anna Heringer

References:

[1] https://www.anna-heringer.com/projects/desi-centre-bangladesh/

[2] https://divisare.com/projects/127081-anna-heringer-b-k-s-inan-desi

[3] https://www.archdaily.com/950704/desi-training-center-studio-anna-heringer

[4] https://archello.com/project/desi-dipshikha-electrical-skill-improvement

October 8, 2024March 17, 2026

David Adjaye, Asaase

Location: Gagosian Gallery, New York City

Completion: 2021

Architect: David Adjaye

‘Asaase’ takes the form of a labyrinthine, walls made from stacked blocks increasing in height toward a “conical vertex” in the center. The British architect’s first large sculpture was one piece to Social Works, a group exhibition of a dozen Black artists, curated by Antwaun Sargent, to engage with social space “as a community-building tool.”

“It’s this idea of construction that works across many modes of sensory perceptions….it’s designed to create moments where the audience is just in – between earth. This is something people have forgotten how to do.”

Constructing the rammed earth blocks began with a combination of crushed limestone and schist from New York, with the tops of the shorter walls at the perimeter revealing some of the loose aggregate from the process.

The ‘Asaase’ project incorporates a sense of collective memory and aims to evoke a deeper connection with the land, specifically traditional black architecture and historical identities. References to historic works of West African architecture such as the Tiébélé royal complex in Burkina Faso and the walled city of Agadez in Niger, can be seen in the sculpture’s maze form.

The project reflects on the unique essence of a place, drawing connections between the present and the past by examining Black communal spaces across the African continent. It delves into how these spaces served as central hubs for families and communities to gather.

The curved walls invite visitors to explore the spaces between the gallery walls and the piece before entering the spaces inside. These overlapping walls mean there are numerous ways to encounter and move through the installation.

‘Asaase’ contemplates the idea of fragments—both in terms of physical spaces and the buildings constructed from the earth—that provided the backdrop to everyday life for Black individuals, symbolizing a connection to heritage and history. What Adjaye describes as “fragments of chambers,” can be demonstrated the most by the niche at the center of the maze.

References

October 8, 2024March 17, 2026

Erden.at , Martin Rauch

Martin Rauch, founder and managing director of Lehm Ton Erde (LTE) in Schlins, Austria, is internationally known as a leading expert in the field of rammed earth mining. He founded the company in 1984 as the sole manufacturer of ceramics and clay construction, and then founded Lehm Ton Erde Baukunst in 1999. The current studio and operations centre were built in 1990, where he presented his accumulated knowledge of clay construction at the time. Over the course of more than 35 years of working with clay, Rauch and LTE have completed over 100 projects around the world, published 3 books and led the industry in rammed earth innovations.

After the development of a unique precast plant, Lehm Ton Erde is now entering a new phase in which it is a matter of establishing rammed earth as a sustainable building material in order to counter the ecological burdens of the construction industry. ERDEN means clay. It is a grounding of building in natural materials and processes. Clay earth continues to be the roof for everything that has to do with rammed earth. ERDEN is a leader in clay construction prefabrication and is revolutionizing the construction industry. With the ERDEN factory hall, a new plant and headquarters for the production of precast clay elements. The team is made up of people from diverse backgrounds, including design, craft, teaching, research, and management expertise.

The ecological résumé of rammed earth is second to none. No other material has a smaller footprint on our planet. The raw material and the finished product are one and the same. Soil from the ground is dug up and processed. We add a little gravel or clay to optimize them, mix them with water and voilà!

This diagram emphasizes the cyclical nature of rammed earth construction, which starts and ends with the natural earth, with minimal environmental impact. This aligns with Martin Rauch’s philosophy of sustainable building, where the material’s life cycle, from construction to deconstruction, supports ecological balance.

1- Earth Site: Earth is extracted directly from the building site or a nearby location, using local resources to minimize environmental impact. This is where the raw material for the rammed earth process begins.

2- 100% Earth: The material used for construction is pure earth, without additives. The earth is gathered and sometimes modified by adding gravel or sand, depending on its natural composition.

3-Filling the Formwork: The extracted earth is placed into formwork, which is essentially a mold that shapes the walls. The formwork holds the earth in layers before it is compacted.

4-Compacting Earth: Once the earth is inside the formwork, it is compacted. This can be done manually or with the help of mechanical tools such as pneumatic hammers. The compaction process is crucial for the stability and durability of the walls.

5-Construction: The walls are constructed by repeating the process of filling and compacting. The compacted earth forms solid, load-bearing walls without the need for additional finishing materials like stucco or plaster.

6-Seamless Finishing: After the compaction and construction of the walls, seamless finishing techniques are applied. This helps to smooth out the surface and enhances the natural aesthetics of the rammed earth, maintaining the integrity and beauty of the material.

7-Transport: If needed, components of the rammed earth can be prefabricated and transported to the site. Prefabricated elements simplify the construction process, especially for large or complex structures.

8-Building in Use: The rammed earth structure is then ready for use. These buildings have high thermal mass, providing excellent insulation properties, which make them energy efficient and comfortable to live in, regulating temperature naturally.

9-Deconstruction: At the end of the building’s life cycle, it can be deconstructed. The natural earth material can be reused or returned to the site, making it a completely recyclable and sustainable material.

10-Earth Back to Site: Once the building is deconstructed, the earth is returned to the site, completing the cycle. This step emphasizes the eco-friendly nature of the process, where no waste is generated, and the material is fully reused.

Despite its ecological, functional and aesthetic qualities, rammed earth has hardly been used in recent times. Especially because the experience with the material has been lost. For us, every rammed earth building was, if you will, a prototype. The costs were correspondingly high. Thanks to Martin Rauch’s 35 years of work, rammed earth is now losing this exclusivity. With the introduction of the ERDEN prefabrication process, we have simplified clay construction and made it more affordable. This means that the desire to build their own mud house is becoming a reality for more and more people. But there is still a long way to go. Regulatory hurdles and a broader knowledge of working with rammed earth still pose challenges. But the upswing has begun. The environment urgently needs natural building solutions. Why doesn’t everyone build with clay? Well, it’s only a matter of time.

An urban-rural furniture
There’s nothing new about Earth’s resources becoming scarce, just as public space, especially in urban areas, is becoming increasingly scarce. Only what is the solution? The construction industry is one of the major polluters of our time. The Erdenbürgerin project is something of a prototype for a counter-reaction. A seating place made of 100% earth, the most sustainable building material in the World. The earth used to build this urban-rural furniture comes from our local surroundings.

Of course, this is not the silver bullet either. Rather, it is an impetus and an opportunity to ask questions. Where am I sitting here? And on what? The Erdenbürgerin asks you to take a seat and to widen your gaze. Or just to sit and commune, to chat, to relax. In a freespace, public place, as a healthy society needs. And a healthy environment. This project was developed as a cooperation between the Walgau region and earth specialists, Lehm Ton Erde.

Schlins, the Mecca of rammed earth architecture, one could say, is the home of the founder of ERDEN, Martin Rauch. Since he opened his office in Schlins, several works have been created in the small town in the Vorarlberg province that have become important international precedents of contemporary rammed earth architecture. These include the Rauch Workshop, Haus Rauch, our ERDEN workshop and the Erdenhaus, which is still under construction.

Rauch family home

Schlins: Austria

The materiality and form of the residential house are direct reactions to the steep south-sloping scarp situation of the slender plot in its landscape context – as if a monolithic block, similar to a piece of abstract and artificial nature, had been pressed out of the earth. Two clefts articulate the building of rammed earth, wedging it backwards with the scarp and establishing a frontal prelude or welcoming gesture towards the valley. The inside of the house is developed in the form of sequences of individualizable spaces that respond storey-wise to the variable conditions. As opposed to more organic, archaic clay architecture, the morphology of the building aims towards a certain clarity and sharp-edgedness. The strips of clay bricks that are inserted between the typical clay layers optically stabilise the building structure by emphasising the horizontality and heightening the light and shadow effects.

References

1- https://www.architectsnotarchitecture.com/archive/martin-rauch/

2- https://www.erden.at/

3- Rammed earth house, Rauch family home by Boltshauser Architekten | Detached houses (architonic.com)

October 1, 2024March 17, 2026

Déchelette Architecture: Quatre Cheminées

The project located in Boulogne-Billancourt in the Parisian suburbs, involves a building with eight social housing units, a caretaker’s lodge, and a shop on the ground floor, with a raw earth facade on the street side, a stone base and a wooden facade on the garden side. It is driven by a desire for restraint in design and the use of natural, bio-sourced, and local materials without ever losing sight of comfort for the occupants.

The building rises on five levels including a ground floor, four floors of housing and a green roof. It is structured around a central circulation core including an elevator and a staircase serving all levels. The search for optimization, transversality and independence of spaces guided our design.

The façade at street level is made of raw earth blocks, thus following the precepts of the “cradle to cradle” concept based on two principles: zero pollution and 100% reusability. The rammed earth used in the project comes from local sources, specifically from the excavation of the Greater Paris metro. This reduces carbon emissions from transportation and follows the circular economy principle.

Rammed earth bricks are prefabricated , differing from the traditional on-site method. This technique speeds up construction and ensures consistency and quality control, and offers flexible installation in complex urban settings. Rammed earth bricks are placed on a stone base ensures both structural integrity and environmental sustainability.

Location: Boulogne-Billancourt, France

Completion: 2023

Project Area: 350 m2

Budget: €1,700,000 excluding VAT

Architect(s): Déchelette Architecture

REFERENCES

https://www.dechelette-architecture.com/quatre-cheminees/

https://europe40under40.com/project/17-rue-des-4-cheminees-2023-emmanuelle-dechelette-boulogne-billancourt-france/

https://www.boulognebillancourt.com/information-transversale/actualites/le-plus-haut-batiment-en-beton-de-chanvre-a-ete-construit-rue-de-bellevue-2996

https://www.facebook.com/dechelettearchitecture/?locale=ms_MY

October 1, 2024October 1, 2024

Nandi House, Fino Lozano/Moro Taller de Arquitectura

Located in the town of San Jose de Garcia in Michoacan, Mexico, Casa Nandi is a collaborative project between architect Fino Lozano and the firm Moro Taller de Arquitectura. This two-story residence is designed to blend with its natural environment while offering views of the landscape. The home employs rammed-earth construction techniques combined with concrete elements such as casting, creating a balance between traditional and modern building methods. The design aims to respect the local context while providing a functional and aesthetic living space.

Architects: Fino Lozano, Moro Taller de Arquitectura

Area: 1345 ft²

Year Built: 2022

City/State: San Jose De Garcia, Michoacan

Country: Mexico

By making the most of its orientation to create a bright, intimate space, the residence also emphasizes the simplicity of its surroundings. Its natural ventilation which is derived from its forms, creates moments of release within the home that allow for contemplation of not just the environment but of self-embracing elements of harmony and tranquility for the inhabitants.

Nandi House / Fino Lozano + Moro Taller de Arquitectura - Image 20 of 25 — Ground Floor Plan Courtesy of Fino Lozano and Moro Taller de Arquitectura

Nandi House / Fino Lozano + Moro Taller de Arquitectura - Image 23 of 25 — Section Render Courtesy of Fino Lozano and Moro Taller de Arquitectura

Constructed upon pine wood beams, the building also features handcrafted mud bricks supporting a concrete slab that indeed displays the underlying natural elements for an effortlessly elegant yet raw appearance. As previously indicated, the walls that make up the house are a combination of modern concrete techniques and traditional rammed earth, providing a juxtaposition that emphasizes how timeless architectural building practices can be. This combination offers acoustic and thermal insulation in addition to structural support.

Nandi House / Fino Lozano + Moro Taller de Arquitectura - Image 17 of 25 — Photograph by Rafael Palacios Macias

Nandi House / Fino Lozano + Moro Taller de Arquitectura - Exterior Photography — Photograph by Rafael Palacios Macias

Every material used in the home is on display, allowing each texture and color to contribute to a visual experience that authentically reflects the surrounding landscape. Rammed earth construction is popular in conveying the essence of Mexican architecture and Casa Nandi is a great example due to its rosy pink walls of local mud, creating a seamless connection between the home and its environment. “Casa Nandi, in that spirit, stands out yet settles in the place it belongs to” (Zohra Kahn).

Nandi House / Fino Lozano + Moro Taller de Arquitectura - Interior Photography, Kitchen, Beam, Facade — Photograph by Rafael Palacios Macias

References:

Caballero, Pilar. “Nandi House / Fino Lozano + Moro Taller de Arquitectura.” ArchDaily, ArchDaily, 7 June 2024, www.archdaily.com/1017433/nandi-house-fino-lozano-plus-moro-taller-de-arquitectura?ad_medium=gallery.

Khan, Zohra. “Casa Nandi in Its Muted Rammed Earth and Concrete Form Stands out yet Settles In.” STIRworld, STIRworld.com, 15 July 2024, www.stirworld.com/see-features-casa-nandi-in-its-muted-rammed-earth-and-concrete-form-stands-out-yet-settles-in.

October 1, 2024March 17, 2026

The Kiln Tower for the Brickworks Museum

Boltshauser Architekten, founded by Roger Boltshauser in 1996, is a Zurich-based firm known for its focus on materiality, craftsmanship, and sustainable practices. Roger Boltshauser, a graduate of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), blends natural materials like brick and clay with modernist and vernacular traditions. His architecture reflects an environmental sensitivity, using low-impact materials to create buildings that are deeply connected to their natural surroundings.

The Tower for the Brickworks Museum in Cham, Switzerland, is a striking vertical addition to a museum dedicated to the region’s brickmaking heritage. The brickworks, which operates the museum, is the last surviving handmade brickworks in German-speaking Switzerland. The site includes a kiln, a drying shed, a clay pit biotope, residential buildings, and a museum, all tied to the region’s industrial past. The tower, which was completed in 2017, stands approximately 10 meters high, 13 meters deep, and 4 meters wide. Its tapered form and black steel entrance portal evoke a sense of transcendence, reminiscent of the ancient nuraghi of Sardinia or Oman’s tower tombs.

This unconventional structure won the prestigious Detail Award in 2022. It functions as an exhibition space, a working kiln, and an observation point, allowing visitors to experience the historical and material richness of the site while offering panoramic views from its rooftop platform. More than just an architectural addition, the tower is also an experimental exhibit, showcasing the innovative potential of rammed earth construction.

Situation plan – Graphic © Boltshauser Architekten

Floor plan, section, view, axonometry – Graphic © Boltshauser Architekten

The tower’s uniqueness lies in its method of construction using rammed earth, an ancient technique that has seen a revival in sustainable architecture. Designed in collaboration with students from the Technical University of Munich and ETH Zurich, under the expert guidance of Roger Boltshauser, the project also served as a hands-on self-build educational opportunity. The earthen modules were made of a mixture of fat clay and demolition rubble, as preparing loam on-site would have been too time-consuming.

One of the key innovations of this structure is its use of prestressed earth. Prefabricated rammed earth blocks were compressed on-site and stacked, each resting on a wooden plate that facilitated transport and construction. The integration of these base plates into the wall structure, along with grooves for tension cables, added strength and stability to the building. A weatherboard on each plate protects the earth from erosion and showcases the joinery principles. The use of horizontal supports made of trass lime mortar further reinforces the structure against erosion.

Prestressing earthen walls is a challenging process due to material creep and shrinkage, which can loosen the tension over time. To mitigate this, the blocks used in Cham were dried for a year, and additional steel springs in the tendons maintained constant pressure. Measurements indicate that the stability and hardness of the rammed earth increase under this pressure. The steel tendons, aside from their structural role, also add a visual rhythm to the compact tower, turning the technical necessity into an aesthetic element.

The tower is a testament to sustainable building practices. Its use of rammed earth—a material that can be recycled or reused—ties the building into the circular economy. The structure was built with the understanding that it would be dismantled after ten years. When this occurs, the rammed earth blocks can be easily reused, closing the loop in material usage and reducing waste. Compared to traditional concrete or brick construction, this method can result in a 40% reduction in embodied energy.

Moreover, the tower’s design aligns with the broader goals of reducing energy-intensive materials like concrete. In Switzerland, over 60 million tons of clay and earth are excavated annually, most of which is discarded in landfills. By using this resource in construction, the project makes a significant contribution to more sustainable building methods.

The Tower for the Brickworks Museum exemplifies Boltshauser Architekten’s commitment to materiality, sustainability, and craft. More than just a structure, it is an experiment in how traditional building techniques like rammed earth can be adapted for modern, sustainable architecture. The tower honors the industrial heritage of the brickworks while also embracing innovative methods, such as prestressed earthen construction, to meet modern engineering challenges.

Its combination of robust materiality and minimalist form inspires reflection on the connection between craft, place, and design. The structure also demonstrates how architecture can be part of a circular economy, with its materials poised to be recycled after its decade-long lifespan. Boltshauser’s work here stands as a reminder that thoughtful, context-driven architecture can not only tell a story through materials but also push the boundaries of what is possible in sustainable building practices.

References:

Boltshauser Architekten. (2022, March 18). Kiln Tower for the Brickworks Museum • Boltshauser Architekten AG. Boltshauser Architekten AG. https://boltshauser.info/en/projekt/ofenturm-fuer-das-ziegelei-museum/

Caballero, P. (2024, July 2). Kiln Tower for the Brickworks Museum / Boltshauser Architekten. ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.com/972419/kiln-tower-for-the-brickworks-museum-boltshauser-architekten

Kiln Tower for the Brickworks Museum | Boltshauser Architekten | Archello. (n.d.). Archello. https://archello.com/project/kiln-tower-for-the-brickworks-museum

Walter, E. (2022, November 18). Kiln Tower in Cham. Detail. https://www.detail.de/de_en/ofenturm-in-cham?srsltid=AfmBOorkvFZgToXvWDRFMWlyDg4O5_SNjfN_gjXvs0bh4DE-C3lRFW5m