In the face of the climate crisis and the enormous impact of the construction industry on global greenhouse gas emissions, architecture is increasingly turning to models that draw on traditional and regional architecture, locally available materials and techniques that allow for the creation of transformable buildings. The natural building blocks available in our region are primarily brick and wood.

The project explores their history and prospects for use in contemporary architecture, drawing on examples of Polish regionalisms. The concept is based on a double analogy and links between the countries involved. The Swietokrzyskie Mountains are one of the geologically oldest areas of Europe, while Iceland is the youngest creation. In Karpacz stands the Vang Church, which was moved from Norway in the 19th century and dates back to the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries; in recent months Poland’s youngest monument, the wooden votive chapel of Alex, was demolished; meanwhile, in Norway the first wooden skyscrapers are being built. How do time and matter, geology and what grows on it affect architecture and climate?

The project includes workshops on traditional and contemporary uses of wood and clay in architecture, study tours, open events and a digital publication.

One of the most valuable elements of the building tradition of the Baltic Sea basin and the European lowlands is wooden architecture. From today’s perspective, the centuries-old experience is not only a carrier of tradition, but also has a gigantic development potential – we know today that wood is an extremely durable material, with low energy consumption, and allowing for extraordinary flexibility.

The axis of the module will be the history of the wooden chapel of Alex’s Votum. In 2012 it was recognized by the Mies van der Rohe Award jury as one of Europe’s most interesting buildings. Today – despite a rescue attempt to enter the chapel in the register of monuments – the building ceases to exist. However, it was possible to preserve almost all of its elements, which can be used to erect a new pavilion, which will be designed as part of the workshop.

What can we learn from the traditional skills of making bricks and clay in the Świętokrzyskie region of Poland, one of the most geologically diverse areas of Europe? Can we take on the challenge of making our own bricks from materials found in nearby natural areas? And can modern prefabrication methods be incorporated into the process?

For centuries, the Swietokrzyskie Mountains area has been known as a source of wild clay and, consequently, skilled artisans specializing in the processing of this material, including the production of bricks and clay architectural elements. The goal of this project module is to gather insights from experienced Swietokrzyskie artisans working with clay and use their knowledge to develop innovative brick designs using state-of-the-art prefabrication methods.

The project “Out of Clay and Wood: Natural materials for future architecture” is financed by the Bilateral Cooperation Fund of the EEA Financial Mechanism and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism.