Catena is a chain of 4 geometrical structures in rammed earth, conceived and produced by Studio Grond in Brussels. Connected by a pin, the structures form a modular series that can be shaped and reshaped into a column or support-structure for a bench or table-top.
Catena fits perfectly into the OpenStructures system and is ready to be incorporated by architects or designers. Elements are made of gravel and sand recycled from construction sites in Brussels and in themselves the OS_Design Principles of circularity and re-use.
Catena’s sober geometrical structures give full exposure to the rammed earth: its texture, its density, its granularity. The tactile surface in soft earth colours draws our attention but hides a relentless fact: rammed earth is extremely hard, solid and heavy. By compressing (“ramming”) a loose earth mix of clay, sand and gravel up to the point it can’t get any denser, we end up with a material whose characteristics are comparable with concrete. But the story of rammed earth goes further.
Already 10.000 years ago, rammed earth, alongside all other raw earth techniques, was used for construction, structures and design. Today the knowledge of raw earth and its uses are lost from our collective memory. Set aside as primitive and replaced by concrete and cement, we are dealing with a forgotten heritage. Slowly however, raw earth is moving out of obscurity as contemporary applications are burgeoning and the body of scientific research growing. The advantages of raw earth techniques become apparent. One of the advantages is that the material provides us with necessary alternatives for today’s high energy consumption of the building sector. Raw earth materials don’t require firing or processing and are therefore perfectly ecological and energy-saving. A striking fact: cement needs to be fired up to 1500°C for its production and has a carbon footprint of 622kg for 1 ton as a result. For the same amount, rammed earth has an exceptional carbon footprint of ....20kg! Building with raw earth is strong and durable (Great Wall of China!). It is easily repairable, fully recyclable and abundantly available (just dig deep enough to avoid worms and other organic material). On top of all that, buildings in raw earth create a healthy environment: it is non-toxic, reduces acoustics and helps regulating inside temperatures.
Besides an object that you can lift up, stack and feel, Catena wants you to reconnect with earth. As such, building with Catena is a kind of touch base with the forgotten earthen material, symbolizing the potential of raw earth - not as a substitute but as a powerful, healthy and ecological alternative for contemporary construction and design.
Product Family
by Grond Studio
Brussels
Sep 2023
