EDEN factory building

The ERDEN factory building is located in the small municipality of Schlins in Vorarlberg - a pioneering project that was specially designed for the prefabrication of rammed earth walls. It is complemented by an adjoining two-storey office wing, which is still under construction. The building, erected on a strip foundation, is a hybrid construction consisting of a load-bearing rammed earth wall and various timber construction methods. The massive south wall was rammed in situ and is between 65 and 90cm thick. The density of the wall with its porous surface structure gives it very good sound-insulating properties, so that the factory can be operated next to the neighbouring residential buildings. Its high thermal mass also protects the factory from overheating in summer. The factory also makes use of other timber and clay construction techniques, such as the lightweight fibre clay insulation and timber frame structures used in the traditional agricultural architecture of the region. Solar energy serves as the main source of heat for the hall, while solar chimneys on the south wall passively ventilate the space.