29. July 2026

Cement-Free Residential Building: Building Culture of the Future in Earth and Timber

In the ecological private house, tiles by Karak were also used and rammed earth floors were realised. © Erden Studio, Hanno Mackowitz

The building in Dornbirn was realised as a prototypical contribution to the development of resource-efficient construction methods using load-bearing rammed earth and timber. The aim was to implement a fully load-bearing solid structure made of prefabricated rammed earth elements under real conditions of use. Lehmit was involved in the project as specialist planner for the slab and the connection details.

Concept & context

As a conceptual prototype, the project tests structural, building-physics and design principles of rammed earth construction. In doing so, Lehmit developed several new solutions for the slab component.

Load-bearing rammed earth walls, insulated once on the inside and once on the outside, solution for the connections to the slabs and rammed earth floors © ERDEN Studio

Space & system

The individual building volumes are functionally arranged and form an ensemble with a compact spatial programme of a main residential unit and a secondary apartment. Access is barrier-free via a ramp into a covered entrance area with rammed earth arches. The floor plan structure is deliberately kept simple and robustly organised, so that future adaptations remain possible. The spatial centre is formed by the courtyard-like outdoor space, which provides orientation, daylight and natural ventilation.

The load-bearing rammed earth arches shape the entrance area © Erden Studio, Hanno Mackowitz

Material & craft

The rammed earth walls, produced by Lehm Ton Erde, take on both structural and space-defining functions. The construction is complemented by an earth-filled timber beam slab, which contributes to thermal stability and makes the interplay of timber and earth visible.

Outlook

For Lehmit, the project was an important stage on the path towards the industrialisation of rammed earth construction.
Three innovations in the slab component are now feeding into further development and construction projects:

Light fittings, for the first time worked directly into the rammed earth
Diagonal sheathing for bracing
Connection details and airtightness

Architecture: ERDEN Studio

Collaboration on detail development and site management: Thomas Mennel, Heinz Pfefferkorn
Claymixture testings: gbd Lab GmbH