Regenerative Construction with earth - timber floor slabs: The project by jomini zimmermann architects in collaboration with Rematter

The multi-generational home harmonizes Swiss timber-building traditions, Japanese craftsmanship, and robotically prefabricated timber-earth floor slabs. It offers three residential units designed for communal and intergenerational living. The project not only sets new standards in ecological responsibility and economic efficiency - it also hosts a farm shop belonging to the owners’ family-run community-supported agriculture initiative.

Earth-timber floor slabs by Rematter: Innovation for regenerative construction

A central feature of the building is the innovative floor slab developed by Rematter. Earth is compacted between timber beams, offering a wide range of benefits:
The combination of solid earth infill and timber opens up new architectural and building physics potentials. Earth is naturally fire-retardant and reliably protects the load-bearing timber elements from burning. This allows for more targeted and material-efficient use of timber - a crucial contribution to the preservation of our forests.
Earth also demonstrates impressive acoustic performance: its high mass significantly improves sound insulation and creates a calm, focused spatial atmosphere - a key comfort factor, especially in denser buildings. Thermally, the earth infill functions as a natural heat storage system: it absorbs energy, buffers temperature fluctuations, and supports passive climate regulation - in both summer and winter. Furthermore, earth actively regulates indoor humidity. It binds excess moisture, keeps the timber dry, buffers humidity levels, and creates a balanced, healthy indoor climate - all without any technical equipment. The result is a building that thinks and breathes with its inhabitants - regeneratively planned, built, and lived in.

Stanislas Zimmermann: “Our clients wanted a climate-friendly home with a comfortable indoor climate and high quality of living - at a reasonable price. The Rematter floor slabs were key to achieving these goals for the multi-generational house on Lake Zurich. We look forward to using these floor slabs in future projects, as they are an important step toward regenerative architecture.”

Building with responsibility: regenerative, circular, low-emission

Timber and earth are more than just natural materials - they are true climate heroes. One cubic meter of timber stores around one ton of CO₂, becoming a long-term carbon sink. Through intelligent design for disassembly, the materials can be cleanly separated and reused at the end of their lifecycle: earth can be infinitely recycled, and timber can be cascaded through various uses, eventually ending in biochar. This not only reduces waste but maximizes climate benefits.

Production efficiency is equally compelling: compared to conventional reinforced concrete slabs, our floor slab solutions generate up to 80% fewer CO₂ emissions and require 60% less energy for production, transport, and dismantling (as calculated by KBOB 2022) - while using 45% less timber than massive timber slabs.

Conclusion: A pioneering example of future-proof building

The project by jomini zimmermann architects and Rematter demonstrates how thoughtful material choices and innovative building methods can make regenerative and economically viable housing a reality. The industrial prefabrication of timber-earth floor slabs sets new standards for healthy, sustainable construction and living - and shows how tradition and innovation can meaningfully complement each other. This outstanding example of regenerative architecture proves: building for human wellbeing and building in harmony with the climate and natural resources can go hand in hand.