#46 About Clay Construction – Experimentation as a Form of Learning

In the mini-series LEHMABU MORGEN, Elisabetta Schmidtlein and Jakobus Schwarz take us into three fascinating conversations about current developments and their respective research projects in the field of earthen construction. The discussions explore both the natural properties and circular potential of the material, as well as how traditional, local knowledge can interact with industrial developments in earthen construction.

Episode 46 explores what we can learn from earth as a versatile, regionally available, and reusable building material—particularly when we experiment with it ourselves. Elisabetta draws on her research and experience from construction workshops with students in Tuscany, showing why mistakes, experimentation, and direct dialogue with the material are essential to truly understanding earth. They consider the sense of agency that emerges through hands-on building as a key element of a building culture in which architecture is experienced as a process, directly connecting knowledge, responsibility, and design.

Elisabetta Maria Schmidtlein is a lecturer at the Institute of Architectural Design at TU Wien and a PhD candidate specializing in earthen construction, low-tech architecture, and resource-efficient building in the Mediterranean region. As a certified earthen construction specialist, she combines research and practice through restoration and earthen construction projects in Austria and Germany. In her doctoral project, “From Soil to Structure,” she investigates the geological diversity of earth materials in Tuscany.

Jakobus Schwarz is an architect and university assistant at TU Wien. Since 2023, he has been contributing to the development of Juri Troy’s BMLUK Endowed Professorship for Timber Construction and Design in Urban Contexts. Following professional experience in Germany, Luxembourg, and Austria, his research and teaching focus on urban timber construction, excavated earth in multi-storey timber buildings, and the potential for CO₂ savings in residential construction.

Podcast Credits
Episode #46

Concept and hosts: Elisabetta Maria Schmidtlein und Jakobus Schwarz
Recording, audio and editing: Lisa-Marie Kramer, Elisabetta Maria Schmidtlein und Jakobus Schwarz
ZUKUNFT STADT Podcast production: Lukas Bast, Larissa Benk, Lisa-Marie Kramer, Lena Hohenkamp, Madlyn Miessgang and Nico Schleicher
Intro music: Jakob Kotal

The ZUKUNFT STADT podcast is a project of the Faculty of Architecture and Planning at TU Wien. It is produced in cooperation between the future.lab and the Department of Local Spatial Planning at TU Wien.