SKATEPARK//STAMPFLEHM
A skatepark, ecologically made with local materials
A skate park made of rammed earth instead of concrete. The users design their park themselves.
At the right time of year, the skaters, BMX riders and other users meet at the chosen location. They bring a shovel, a tamping tool and plates for a formwork. Together, they begin to bring the excavated material into the right mixing ratio, possibly adding a little water. The formwork is filled and tamped layer by layer. This is how a skate park is created from the local excavated soil. It is driven on, removed. The shape changes through use, and so does the function. The abrased material simply ends up back in the environment and is returned to the environment. After decaying, something new and different emerges from the clay.
| student: | Daniel Kurt Böhm |
| project: | (con)temporary crust |
| year: | 2021 |
| Location of inspiration: | Galgenberg, Halle |
| Material: | stony, lean excavated clay, earth-moist |
| Method of manufacturing: | rammed earth production |
| Temporal aspect: | decay through use, change of form, return of the material to the environment |
full concept text
Loam is one of the purest building materials found in nature. In rammed earth construction, sand and gravel are additionally used, which are also mineral decomposition products. Loam is always 100% recyclable and can be returned to earth deposits, so it is never a problematic waste product. Loam is a mixture of particles of different grain sizes, with clay being the binder. There are different techniques for building with loam, for example solid loam blocks, Weller loam construction or rammed earth. Depending on the property, the locally excavated loam can be used directly. The suitability of the on-site loam is decided by different tests. Binding and shrinkage behaviour play a role. If there is no local loam deposit, it still makes sense to bring the loam from the nearest deposit. The LCA compared to conventional building materials is usually better
My project of a skatepark made of rammed earth is based on a location with suitable local loam. Building with rammed earth requires dry, lean loam with earth moisture. In rammed earth construction, the loam is poured into a formwork in layers of 10-12cm and tamped down, reducing the volume by about half. The finished tamped element can be immediately stripped of its formwork. Rammed earth should be used between spring and autumn, as no frost may occur during the one to three month drying period. Rammed earth can be used indoors at any time. Attention should be paid to the formwork technique, as rammed earth has a density of 2000 kg per cubic metre.