LAVA

The continued destruction of nature has led to growing skepticism towards the increasing domination of technology. This situation has given rise to a variety of movements such as “Neo Nature” or “Next Nature” which advocate a symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. LAVA sees itself as part of this development and aims to bring about new ways of perceiving building and space with the help of techniques that abstract natural processes. Their exhibition presents five projects currently under construction, each with a different focus.

Their solution for the energy storage center in Heidelberg, for example, transforms the infrastructure project into a new landmark. The structure also accommodates public uses, such as a restaurant and a panoramic terrace. An outer shell not only holds the stairs but also reacts to wind and light with 9,000 aluminium plates. At Terminal T3 at Frankfurt Airport, the ceiling of the passage reacts to the flow of visitors’ movements, controls the incidence of light, and creates recreational areas. Their German Pavilion at EXPO 2020 in Dubai, is designed to offer as much space and as many different spatial situations as possible with as little material as possible. It includes an adaptive facade that opens or closes the interior depending on weather conditions, thereby minimizing energy consumption.

LAVA – Laboratory for Visionary Architecture was founded in 2007 by Chris Bosse, Alexander Rieck, and Tobias Wallisser in Stuttgart. Chris Bosse is director of LAVA Asia Pacific in Sydney and is an adjunct professor at the University of Technology in Sydney. Alexander Rieck heads the Stuttgart office and works as a senior researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute in Stuttgart. Tobias Wallisser is director of the Berlin branch and professor of Design Architecture/Innovative Building and Spatial Concepts at Akademie der Künste in Stuttgart.