claywood

Clay and wood instead of cement and concrete. In Grüt, Canton Zurich, the architecture and construction company Arento AG broke new ground in the construction of apartment buildings. Designed as a multi-family building replacing a single-family home, most of the materials and interiors of the demolished single-family home were to be reused and repurposed, with the aim of being largely circular and low in CO₂ emissions. The ultimate goal: Eliminate fresh concrete and use alternative materials wherever possible. To achieve this, Arento used reclaimed concrete slabs where necessary and Oxabloc, the cement-free and unfired compressed earth blocks developed by Oxara and Terrabloc. Several walls were built using Oxabloc - made with Oxabrick® Loko -, along with cement-free mortar, further enhancing the project’s sustainable approach. As well as being a sustainable building option, clay bricks also improve the quality of life in the apartments. Clay has unique humidity and temperature regulating properties, significantly improving the indoor climate without adding to the energy bill.

Location: Grüt, Switzerland
Date: 2024
Products: Oxabrick Loko
Architecture: arento ag
Construction: Örtig AG
Material production: Terrabloc