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Marcel Kalberer was born in Switzerland in 1960 and is working with architects and constructors of the german studio “Sanfte Strukturen”. He developed his special technique of bundling and building live willow rod constructions in 1988. Marcel Kalberer and his Sanfte Strukturen Atelier, see themselves as experimental architects, producing experimental architecture that can be described as a rather radical branch of Organic Architecture: “Botanical Architecture”.
Their distinctive choice of method and material, forms constructions that site themselves at the boundaries of architecture, art, and landscape. Kalberer’s work bears strong influences of the distinctive Land Art movement. Born in the 1960’s, this line of thought was a crucial moment in the history of both art and architecture where art bridged the barriers between architecture and landscape, and embraced political critique, including that of the practice of art and architecture. The projects are living projects. Live organic vegetations, used to replace conventional building material and ingredients. Cathedrals and Palaces build from willows, trees and bushes, producing constantly changing forms and structures due to the growing process. Responsive architecture, living and alive constructions, changing with natural climatic cycles, turning from green and lush to bare and minimal, and vice versa, Parametric design and self-regulating systems, thus achieved with a simplistic gesture.
Marcel Kalberer: I like the term „living architecture“ not only because of his botanical and ecological implications but also because of the social and individual dimension. This is construction by a community of volunteers. It contrasts and enriches the conventional architecture performed by professionals and experts .
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