below ground
A desert peri-ecumene
The earth can no longer sustain the volume of consumer goods.
Everyone buys and consumes without
being aware of where it comes from or how
long it takes to get a tomato onto their plate.
A periökume as a self-sufficient society in
the desert. A field experiment that is not intended to take us back to the
Stone Age, but rather to explore a wise and
important attitude towards life for the future.
The ecumene functions as a commune that
lives, farms, and conducts research together. A
center of communication to spread knowledge to the
outside world. All this with a climate-neutral
and long-term climate-positive principle.
The principles of vernacular architecture are
fundamental to the project.
"The necessary is built with the raw materials found close to the construction site." Based on the ideas and techniques of ancient cultures and peoples, a system was devised that can live organically and naturally with nature. Each of the raw materials found on site is formative and at the core of the idea. Clay and stone form the walls of the complex. Water is the origin of all life and plays a central role. The funnel shape of the complex collects water from all surfaces and directs it to the center. Via ramps, stairs, and gutters, the water is transported to an underground reservoir. Wood is used to construct roofs, doors, and windows. Fabric-covered scaffolding provides sufficient shade. Every shape is part of the ecosystem. The system, with its seemingly intuitive structure, is designed to create a mature settlement structure. This place is home to 30 people, no more and no less, because otherwise the ecosystem would not function. However, it is not a perfect complex that works like a machine; people are there to learn and live. People are there to become future natives.
