ineinander

The plasticity of the material earth is almost endless and can thereby unfold a great complexity. This property is challenged in the project “ineinander” by the combination with different materials. Sophisticated connections complement the rammed earth not only constructively but also aesthetically. Through these combinations, the application of rammed earth is expanded and invites new, sculptural, and formal variations. The result of an initial exploratory study is a bench. This not only explores different principles of connection but also tests long-term scenarios for use.

Rammed earth has many exciting properties. The material is formable, can become as hard as stone when it is dry, and is still fully recyclable. Yet, it is usually seen in massive architectural contexts. Could this be challenged by combining rammed earth with other materials? How can rammed earth be connectable?

Inspired by traditional joints, the first experiments have been about form-fitting earth and wood. The results are extremely variable but not very stable. Consequently, the next investigations focused on creating highly resilient combinations.

This was realized by including constructive elements, like threads, into the rammed earth objects. Great strengths were achieved by using elements with at least two directions, essentially anchoring the components.

After proving the constructive part, it was time to combine those results—designing not only constructive but also aesthetically pleasing connections. Milled complex wooden components lock into the rammed earth due to multiaxial forms, undercuts, and different layers. With these objects, it becomes clear that there are indeed endless variations and possibilities to connect rammed earth. For a better understanding of the connections in practice, I started not only collaging materials but also collaging a piece of furniture—selecting and assembling some of the created connections to become an outdoor bench with different functionalities.

But overall, it is an exploratory study to test the results in combination with each other, to think about implementation, and to observe the connections in the long term. I invite you to take a seat and think about rammed earth in new contexts and scenarios.