EFH Preno, Herbetswil, 2021-2022

Rammed clay, execution

Place: 4715 Herbetswil
Built: 2021-2022
Material: rammed earth wall, hybrikd structure with wood construction
Partner: Thomas Furter (Furter Architecture) Steiner Holzbau AG
Photos: Lehmag AG

With architect Thomas Furter and the Bauschaft, it was possible to plan and implement a holistically conceived residential house made of wood and clay. The original farmhouse, which could not be preserved, was partially replaced completely with the natural building materials.

The elements of rammed earth were prefabricated at an early stage from various Swiss excavated material in the production hall in Brunnen and delivered and moved just-in-time according to the construction sequence. Floor by floor, there was close and constructive cooperation with the timber construction company Steiner AG, with the clay elements being erected first, followed directly by the prefabricated timber construction all around. When retouching the joints, care was taken to adequately complement the desired color gradients in the clay elements.
In the overall building concept, the load-bearing clay walls not only complement the load-bearing structure made of wood but also provide the missing energy storage capacity via the masses and contribute significantly to the room quality and climate.