RADICAL MATERIALITY, HAMBURG, 2026
Rammed earth elementselements, execution
Location: ArchitekturSalon, Bei den Mühren 70, 20457 Hamburg
Built: 2025, Exhibition: November 14, 2025 – January 15, 2026
Material: Rammed earth elements
Partners: Boltshauser Architects, ArchitekturSalon Hamburg, Atelier Andrea Gassner
Photos: LEHMAG Jakob von Gizycki, Sandro Livio Straube
From November 14, 2025, to January 15, 2026, ArchitekturSalon Hamburg presented the installation exhibition BOLTSHAUSER ARCHITECTS – RADICAL MATERIALITY, focusing on clay as a building material. The exhibition showcased the diverse and innovative uses of this traditional material – from its preparation and research and artistic approaches to its concrete application in buildings.
Two massive clay walls divided the exhibition space into three zones. They were not only exhibits, but also served as test walls for a real construction project. These areas focused on the use of clay in a process-oriented and installation-based manner—far removed from a classic architecture exhibition, but rather a conglomeration of different perspectives on materials, technology, and use.
The first designs and plans for new prefabricated rammed earth components were developed in close collaboration with Boltshauser Architects in spring 2025. The development was based on various formwork variants, which we used to investigate how different surface structures, such as a smiley face motif, would look and be showcased in the material.
After several iterations, we decided on a structure consisting of two mixtures.
- Exterior: proprietary rammed earth mixture reinforced with trass lime.
- Interior: Other rammed earth mixture, without trass lime.
To optimize weight and insulation properties, the inner part of the element is lined with cork insulation.
Lehmag provided comprehensive support for the project—from prototype construction to transport and logistics to final assembly in Hamburg.
