Abstract
This chapter introduces Michael Balz’s initial exploration of Urschalen, prototype organically formed shells for dwellings, which he carried out in his mother’s sculpture atelier and the first steps in his long-standing professional collaboration with Swiss engineer, Heinz Isler. It illuminates his vision to find a form of living environment that accommodates organically to the needs of life, while taking advantage of the latest shell construction methods of the time—the late 1960s. It concludes with individual designs for in-situ concrete shell dwellings, including a proposal for a house for Heinz Isler, and proposals for ‘bio-segment’ modular prefabricated shells, intended for mass production.
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Notes
- 1.
Baypren® is a Registered Trademark of ARLANXEO Deutschland GmbH.
- 2.
In conversation with John Chilton at the IASS Symposium Dinner, Barcelona, 10th October 2019.
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Chilton, J. (2023). Evolution/Organic Architecture. In: Michael Balz. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19264-7_2
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