ACT OF BUILDING: Prototyping Vienna

Presentation & Exhibition
„Act of Building: Prototyping Vienna“ explores the bioregional resource clay and its potential use as a building material in the context of Vienna. The design studio marks the first phase of a two-year research and development project at the Institute of Architectural Design, TU Wien, in partnership with Wienerberger and Wiener Linien, led by BC architects & studies & materials from Brussels.

Approximately 3,000 tons of clay are excavated daily at subway construction sites in Vienna. According to current construction standards and regulations, almost all of it must be transported to landfills outside the city and classified as waste. Meanwhile, the majority of new construction in Vienna is built using concrete, steel, and styrofoam. In an era of growing awareness that the building industry accounts for nearly 40% of all CO₂ emissions, this practice is not only difficult to accept but must be seen as a call to act. To act means engaging in a process where academia, industry and public stakeholders join forces to develop new ways of doing things together.

Through excursions to Wiener Linien construction sites, the Wienerberger brick factory and the Brick Museum Vienna, we aim to gain a comprehensive understanding of the ecosystem surrounding clay and brick production in Vienna. We will test and analyze the physical properties and logistical implications of existing resources while also reflecting on their social, cultural, and political significance. By engaging in 1:1 research and prototyping and exchanging knowledge with various local and international experts, we aim to explore and propose an alternative material narrative—one that is deeply connected to and embedded in Vienna’s resources, history, culture and identity. Using hands-on techniques and tools, we will experimentally develop material recipes and prototypes, ultimately producing 1:1 building components that point toward concrete architectural applications and contribute to a new building culture in Vienna.

Mentors
Laurens Bekemans, Ken De Cooman, Bregt Hoppenbrouwers, Julie Moraca, Henri Uijtterhaegen (BC architects & studies & materials, Brussels, Belgium)
Thomas Amann, Prof. Tina Gregoric (Research Unit Architectural Typology, Institute of Architectural Design, TU Wien)