Metropolis Digital Optimism Talks logo

Join us every second Tuesday of the month for a dose of optimism with thought-provoking guests who are revolutionizing their fields. Innovators will lead virtual workshops for an hour of discovery, inspiration, and community. Led by editor in chief, Avinash Rajagopal, these workshops will be guided by our audience, where questions are not only welcome but encouraged.

Register Now
natural habitat cold spring home exterior

Metropolis Editors, Natural Habitat, sustainability, sustainable architecture

METROPOLIS Introduces Natural Habitat, a Sustainable Homes Video Series

The series debuts with a tour of a tranquil upstate New York retreat designed with Passive House principles.

Read more
Image of a rammed earth exterior wall

December 4, 2024


7 Earth-Based Solutions for Building Closer to Nature 

Sustainability enthusiasts are reimagining an ancient building material for modern society. 

By: Petra Loho

Photography: COURTESY THE DESIGNERS AND MANUFACTURERS

In October 2024, the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing is scheduled to unveil its fourth museum, UCCA Clay, designed by the renowned Kengo Kuma in Yixing, China. This 25,800-square-foot space marks Kuma’s debut project using clay as a primary material. 

Set on the city’s Creative & Cultural Ceramic Avenue—a vibrant epicenter for ceramic arts and industry—the museum occupies a site formerly home to the historic Number Two Yixing Ceramic Factory, a cornerstone of Yixing’s millennia-old ceramic tradition. 

The museum’s facade is adorned with ceramic panels exhibiting subtle textures and color shifts. These panels produce a captivating “kiln transmutation” effect that evolves with changing angles and lighting, embodying both historical depth and contemporary innovation.

On the following pages, see seven more ways that clay and earth are making their way into architecture and interiors today. 

ABOVE IMAGE:

Rammed Earth Wall

SIREWALL SYSTEM

At the entrance to the Edmonton Valley Zoo, designed by Dialog, Sirewall System’s rammed earth wall captivates with its layered sediment design, mirroring the hues and textures of the North Saskatchewan River banks. Constructed from local aggregates and compacted sediment, it rivals concrete in strength and durability while offering a striking appearance and a significantly reduced CO2 footprint.

sirewallusa.com

Icon

WOW DESIGN

This system by WOW Design stands out for its minimalist elegance and forceful geometry. Crafted from terra-cotta with a matte finish, the simple, light ceramic lattice is available in two colors. The design’s clean lines and symbolic depth create a striking visual presence, reflecting the Spanish studio’s expertise in high-end ceramic tiles.

wowdesigneu.com

Extruded Terracotta Rainscreen Panels 

SHILDAN

Ideal for enhancing both the aesthetics and performance of modern buildings, Shildan Extruded Terracotta Rainscreen Panels offer durable, eco-friendly cladding with natural clay, ensuring long-lasting, weather-resistant facades. These panels, applicable in horizontal and vertical installations, provide excellent thermal insulation, design freedom with various colors and textures, and effective moisture management.

shildan.com

Rammed Earth Floors

ERDEN

Austrian firm ERDEN is renowned for its prefabricated heated rammed earth floors, offering ease of use and affordability. With customizable features like integrated heating, subsurface insulation, and soundproofing, and by utilizing locally processed soil, ERDEN enhances sustainability, reduces waste and emissions, and optimizes indoor climate for greater living comfort.

erden.at

Argeton Terracotta Rainscreen Facades

TELLING ARCHITECTURAL SYSTEMS

Any building’s skin is a vital passive system, and for its protection, the Argeton terra-cotta rain-screen system offers high-performance, durable, and weather-resistant cladding with natural clay tiles. When installed on a ventilated substructure, it prevents moisture buildup. Since it is available in various colors, textures, and sizes, the system provides design flexibility while maintaining thermal efficiency and effective moisture management.

tellingarchitectural.com

Anthropic Bench

JAMES WALSH

Australian designer James Walsh’s Anthropic Bench revives a 7,000-year-old technique, using hand-rammed earth mixed with recycled glass and compacted in a CNC-milled mold for its conical plinth legs. These legs secure the American oak top with gravity alone, eliminating the need for fasteners. Plinth shades vary based on soil source and mineral content.

jameswalsh.studio

Custom Brick

GLEN-GERY

Glen-Gery’s hand-shaped bricks, made from clay, slate, sand, or recycled materials, offer distinctive textures and colors that can be tailor-made to buildings and their contexts. The Grand Mulberry in New York, designed by Morris Adjmi, exemplifies this with its custom bricks featuring hemispherical ornaments that, in their entirety, present an abstracted Italianate facade in relief.

glengery.com

Would you like to comment on this article? Send your thoughts to: [email protected]

Related