The combination of clay with wood as a mass component in modular ceiling elements is an economical construction method that makes the best possible use of the positive properties of both building materials. Wood is ideal for absorbing tensile and compressive forces, while loam supports compressive loads and protects the wood from burning. Thanks to its high mass, clay earth in turn makes a positive contribution to regulating humidity and thermal activation, thus improving the indoor climate. Lehm Ton Erde has played a key role in the development of this system since 2020. In the course of the realization of the pioneering HORTUS project, the idea of founding a start-up that deals with the development of building systems made of clay with wood was born. This gave rise to the company LEHMIT, a joint venture between Blumer Lehmann, gbd constructive thinking and Lehm Ton Erde.

The arched shape of the vaulted ceiling makes it possible to create a solid, load-bearing ceiling system made of rammed earth without reinforcement. As part of a DBU research project, on the initiative of Martin Stumpf from wh-p Ing. and Martin Bez from bez & kock Architekten, the clay arch was further developed together with Lehm Ton Erde and tested in an extensive test procedure with gbd lab and Graz University of Technology. The clay vault ceiling is to be used in the competition project won by bez & kock for the Charlottenburg Palace Visitor Center. The first arches have already been successfully installed in a residential building project. Logistics systems and certifications are in the process.