RAMMED EARTH – THE AMAZING CLAY ARCHITECTURE OF MARTIN RAUCH
"Rammed earth has the potential to become a fully viable alternative to existing building materials and technologies, which place great demands on resources and require costly transportation,” says an enthusiastic Martin Rauch. Top architectural studios are already vying with each other to co-operate with the Austrian earth maestro. Rauch’s finished works excel both in terms of aesthetic and technological advancement. An exhibition of his works entitled “Refined Earth” (Formovat zemi) is currently underway in the House of Art, České Budějovice in Southern Bohemia.
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"Rammed earth has the potential to become a fully viable alternative to existing building materials and technologies, which place great demands on resources and require costly transportation,” says an enthusiastic Martin Rauch. Top architectural studios are already vying with each other to co-operate with the Austrian earth maestro. Rauch’s finished works excel both in terms of aesthetic and technological advancement. An exhibition of his works entitled “Refined Earth” (Formovat zemi) is currently underway in the House of Art, České Budějovice in Southern Bohemia.
Martin Rauch began as a ceramicist, sculptor and oven maker. His earthwork was expanded over time to encompass large spaces and liveable structures, whose forms also served as outlets for Rauch’s developing artistic sensibilities. At the University of Applied Arts Vienna, instead of creating the requested ceramic service set, Rauch submitted a final work entitled “Lehm Ton Erde” (Soil Clay Earth). In it he described the modernisation of rammed earth construction technology.
Rauch’s path towards environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing architecture began during his student days. Today, he is pointing towards a methodology with which humans can return to nature, while also preventing its contamination. Rauch utilises local materials in his work, although his aspirations are of a global nature. He says that he is seeking to win over the majority of the planet’s population to this technology. And Rauch believes that he can contribute towards improving our quality of life.
Sceptics are presented with the details of the merits of rammed earth, including evidence of its toughness and resilience. Rauch also explains the background and development of his technology, and presents this in a wider context. During thirty years of research and practice he has worked with a number of renowned architects and artists including Olafur Eliasson, Herzog & de Meuron, Theo Lüthi, Roger Boltshauser, Marte Marte and Simon Starling. The significance of Rauch’s work is also underscored by growing interest from students and professionals from across the globe, who seek a place at one of the artist’s workshops or research fellowships. At present, demand significantly exceeds available capacities.
