23.03. - 23.03.2022

4/5 Takeover Tour (guided tour through the exhibition with guests)

6 PM, German

Takeover Tour through the current exhibition ‘Beton’ with Salvatore Aprea, Archives de la construction moderne / EPF Lausanne

Salvatore Aprea is the director of the Archives de la construction moderne at Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), which have partnered with S AM to realise the exhibition Beton. This architect and architectural historian teaches architectural history, is the author of the book ‘German Concrete: The Science of Cement from Trass to Portland 1819-1877’ and has spent several years teaching the history of concrete at EPFL. Based on his research, Aprea argues that the problems arising from overuse of concrete in construction cannot be solved with black-and-white thinking in terms of good and evil. Instead, the aim should be a balanced use of different materials, selected on the basis of complex assessment. Here, the requirements of the structure with regard to stability and expected service life must be taken into account, without neglecting the architectural design, the local and global availability of materials or the ecological consequences of their use.

Getting rid of concrete does not necessarily equate to getting rid of mortar, cement and other binding agents, just as constructing large numbers of high-rise buildings from wood does not automatically mean that current ecological standards are met. However, the use of cement, concrete and mortar can be reduced significantly. Their composition, as well as the related production and processing techniques, can be adapted to today’s requirements. Above all, it is imperative to work towards overcoming the (un)culture of construction that, so as to meet the demand for short-term cost savings, increasingly often comes down to nothing more than selection from manufacturers’ catalogues and mere repetition of typical structural solutions.

In this respect, history can teach us a great deal. Before transportation of building materials became economically feasible, substances that could be used for construction were always sought in the immediate vicinity of the building site. The Romans, for instance, discovered the hydraulic strength of tuff from the Volcanic Eifel region in Germany and used it locally as a substitute for pozzolana from the areas around Naples and Rome. In the 18th century, scientific studies showed how the locally available pozzolana in France’s Auvergne volcanic region could be used instead of expensively imported stone from Italy. Savings in the use of steel for concrete have always been an issue as well, especially in financially difficult times, and this has led to a number of experiments – as seen in Italy between the two world wars, for example.
Why do we always wait for a catastrophe to reach its peak before we intervene?

On his guided tour, Aprea will explain what we can learn from history in this context.

Costs: CHF 12.- / red. CHF 8.-, guided tour free of charge
Please note that the usual hygiene and distance rules of the FOPH apply, as well as a mask recommendation.

 
Photos:
1. Jean Tschumi, Hauptsitz Nestlé, Vevey, 1956–60. Bewehrung für die Bodenplatte, Foto de Jongh, n.d. Archives de la construction moderne – EPFL, Fonds Jean Tschumi. © Photo Elysée-Lausanne – Fonds de Jongh  
2. Portrait Salvatore Aprea
3. Marcel Taverney, maurice Schobinger, Robert Gétaz, Alexandre Sarrasin, Galerie du Rivage, Halle du marché, Vevey, 1934-35
4. Robert Convert, Bâtiment de Beau-Site, salle de réunion de la jeunesse de la YMCA, 1907
5. Ernst Göhner, Siedlung in Greifensee, 1967-75