The input project “Ecologising HIL” explores how local material cycles can be more closely integrated with architecture and production. It builds on research by the Chair of Architecture and Resources in alpine regions, where manageable material flows and local networks enable new models of production. Within the Living Lab HIL, these approaches are transferred to an urban context.
The project focuses on earth and stone as building materials and on material flows generated by both natural and human processes. In alpine contexts, this includes material displaced through erosion and landslides. At HIL, excavation material from ETH Zurich construction sites provides an urban counterpart. Rather than treating these materials as something to be removed or discarded, the project considers them as local resources for construction. It investigates their composition, variability and suitability for different construction methods, as well as possibilities for local processing.
From autumn 2026, these questions will also be explored in a design studio. Through 1:1 experiments, students will test different combinations of earth and stone and develop construction systems based on them. The aim is to use these materials with as little processing and separation as possible, while exploring the potential and limitations of site-specific, circular construction.