Topping-out ceremony at Lerhuset

A milestone in Travbyen

In Travbyen, we work with materials and solutions that both take the climate into account and create a good framework for everyday life.

That is why it was a major milestone when we celebrated the topping-out ceremony for Lerhuset last week – a building where natural materials play a special role.

And Lerhuset is more than just another building in Travbyen. It is also a project that will provide us with new knowledge for the next stages of the district.

The purpose of Lerhuset is to investigate how clay can be used as a building material in modern residential construction. The project stems from, among other things, a project with DGF, where we tested clay walls in construction. We saw potential, and that gave us the idea to build a complete house with clay as a central part of the construction.

Clay as a building material

The previous experience from the DGF project showed that clay walls can function as apartment partitions. At the same time, experiments with clay bricks – including in an exterior mock-up – showed that the material has potential, especially when the bricks are lime-stabilised. This is interesting at a time when many buildings lack thermal mass and lightweight constructions can pose challenges in terms of both acoustics and indoor climate.

That is why Lerhuset also goes somewhat against the grain in relation to today's low-CO₂ construction. Where many people build very lightly, in this project we have worked to add more thermal mass to the building. The ambition is that this will contribute to a more stable indoor climate and a high perceived quality of living.

At the same time, Lerhuset is intended to be an honest house. The installations are visible, the materials stand out, and the structures are not hidden behind unnecessary layers. This has required a new approach for both consultants and craftsmen – but the courage to try something different is an important part of the project's DNA.

In the coming period, we will collect data and experiences from the project. Among other things, we need to learn more about indoor climate, construction methods and perceived quality of living. This knowledge will help to shape the next stages of Travbyen.

Partners on the Clay House project

Architect: Reværk
Engineer: Artelia
Contractor and bricklayer; Jorton
Clay: En Jord
Carpenter: Kirkegaard
Electrical: Jansson
Plumbing: VKS
Ventilation: Airteam

Visualisations of Lerhuset when it is finished