Street view with traditional wooden houses and greenery in a residential area.

A street view in a residential area featuring traditional wooden houses with sloped roofs. The central house has a wooden facade and multiple windows. The surroundings include greenery, a small garden, and a paved road.

Wooden building with gabled roof and multiple windows in a rural setting with mountains.
Modern building with solar panels next to a traditional tiled roof structure, with a cobblestone path and greenery.
Wooden building with sloped roof next to a modern structure with solar panels, in a rural landscape with green hills and scattered houses.
Modern building with rammed earth facade and large windows next to a wooden structure with a tiled roof.
Modern house with rammed earth and wood facade in a grassy landscape.
Modern house with solar panels in a rural setting with sheep in the foreground and green hills in the background.
Building exterior with rammed earth walls and wooden section, large windows, and a small tree.
Interior view of a minimalist space with a fireplace, smooth white walls, and steps.
Minimalist interior with smooth walls, large window, and small fireplace.
Minimalist interior with concrete steps and a hearth area.
Interior of a rustic room with wooden doors, stone floor, stove, and wooden beams.
Interior of a rustic room with wooden walls and floors, featuring a white masonry stove and wooden doors.
Interior view of a rustic room with wooden walls and flooring, showing a bed and a small table with a lamp.
Interior of a room featuring exposed wooden beams and stone walls with a gravel floor.
Interior of a room with a large window overlooking a grassy area, featuring a high ceiling and light wooden floor.
Interior space with sloped ceilings, large window, and wooden flooring.
Architectural model displaying two connected buildings with different facades, set on a tabletop with miniature trees.
Scale model of two adjacent buildings, one wooden and one rammed earth, on a platform with sparse vegetation.
Scale model of a rammed earth house with gabled roof and surrounding vegetation, displayed on a wooden table.
A model made of stacked, textured blocks resembling rammed earth on a white surface.
Wooden architectural model with small house structures and dried plants.
Wooden architectural model with small block structures and miniature trees on a table.
Site plan with numerous black building shapes on a white background, featuring a red arrow indicating a specific point.
Site plan depicting a village layout with buildings and roads.
Elevation drawing of two connected buildings with gabled roofs, surrounded by trees.
Line drawing of two gabled buildings connected together, with trees in the background.
Floor plan of two connected buildings with garden and landscape elements.
Floor plan of two connected buildings with surrounding landscape.
Elevation drawing of a building with a pitched roof and a flat-roofed structure, with trees in the background.
Line drawing of a traditional house with a pitched roof and a modern extension.
Site plan showing two main structures with surrounding garden and pathways.
Architectural floor plan with two connected rectangular shapes labeled 'UNTERGESCHOSS 1:100'.
Floor plan of two connected rectangular buildings with interior rooms and annotations.
Floor plan of a building with various rooms and a staircase.
Floor plan of two connected rectangular structures with grid patterns.
Section drawing of a building with detailed interior spaces and structural elements.
Architectural section drawing with two distinct parts, one stacked and one open with a staircase.

Story

Historic Relocation and Sustainable Innovation

The Gässli5 project in Grabs, Switzerland, represents a profound engagement with circular construction within a specific architectural context. The project involved the meticulous dismantling and reconstruction of a historic building, relocated to preserve its cultural significance. Complementing this is a new structure made entirely of natural materials, including rammed earth, which underscores the project's commitment to sustainability and recyclability.

The original Gässli House, one of the oldest in the Werdenberg region, was at risk of demolition after being removed from heritage protection. Its relocation was essential for its preservation, utilizing salvaged materials from other village structures to maintain historical continuity. The new building's rammed-earth construction, with its visible stratification, articulates the production process and emphasizes the use of renewable resources.

  • Integration of a historic log house with a new rammed-earth structure

  • Use of natural, recyclable materials for sustainable construction

  • Flexible spatial organization for varied uses

  • Embedded within a permaculture garden enhancing ecological and social interaction

  • On-site management of rainwater and composting

Aspect Detail
Location Grabs, Switzerland
Architect Allen + Crippa Architektur
Materials Rammed earth, timber, lime
Environmental Strategy Circular construction, permaculture garden

This project stands as a statement against demolition culture, advocating for the reuse of existing structures and materials. It challenges conventional standards by rethinking sufficiency and sustainability, making it a significant contribution to modern architecture.

Technical Summary

Finishes

  • Interior Walls: Lime plaster made from recycled brick dust.
  • Flooring: Locally sourced rammed earth, untreated oak, and clay tiles.

Materials

  • Rammed Earth — Load-bearing wall system and facade.
  • Wood — Floor slabs and structural elements.
  • Hemp-lime — Thermal insulation.

Construction / Systems

  • Log Construction: Preserved in its material and spatial simplicity, without technical interventions.
  • Rammed Earth Construction: Approximately 200 earth elements with visible stratification documenting their fabrication.

Products

  • Not specified

Palette / Lighting

  • Colors: Not specified
  • Lighting: Not specified

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