Earth connects people

The construction industry is under pressure – economically, ecologically and socially. Martin Rauch, pioneer of modern earth building, puts it in a nutshell in an interview: “The concepts are there, as are the wishes for sustainable building – but only a fraction of them are implemented.” Especially in residential construction, sustainability often fails because of the costs. Earth building, one of the oldest and most ecological construction methods in the world, remains a marginal phenomenon despite growing attention.

Yet earth as a building material offers everything needed for sustainable construction: it is locally available, harmless to health, recyclable and stores thermal energy. What it lacks is economic competitiveness – because earth requires manual labor. And this is exactly where Rauch comes in: With his company Lehm Ton Erde, he is continuously optimizing work processes and developing machines that make heavy work easier. “We work with rammed earth today in the same way that people worked with concrete 80 years ago. If we were to put even a fraction of the innovative power that went into concrete into earth building – we would be much further ahead.”

Rauch calls for a rethink on many levels: We need more trained specialists, architects with an understanding of materials, clear political support for sustainable construction methods – and, above all, more space for knowledge exchange. He sees great potential here in the Walz 4.0 project, which aims to give young people practical insights into innovative craft businesses. Because: “Earth is not just a material, earth is a social binder. Anyone who gets involved with earth shares a certain attitude – to life, to work, to the world.”

But everyday life is more complex. The bureaucratic hurdles for taking on journeymen on the road are high – for example in terms of wage regulations, insurance or legal protection. “It used to be easier. Someone could work for two months, learn and help shape things. Today, it’s almost impossible to manage.” According to Rauch, a modern apprenticeship requires a new legal framework – comparable to training time, work contracts or internship models.

For decades, he himself has given young people access to earth construction – through projects that focus on working together. “I don’t believe in traditional workshops. I believe in learning by doing. Only those who have had the material in their hands understand what it can do.”

For Martin Rauch, earth is more than just a building material – it is an expression of a different understanding of building. Transience is not hidden, but shaped. A façade is allowed to age, erosion can be part of the design. “We need a new appreciation for the simple, the imperfect, the changeable – if we really want to build sustainably.” Projects such as Walz 4.0 could be an important impetus for this – if they succeed in creating spaces for encounters, experience and transformation.