DE

Lump Buildings Germany

For some people its called Wuzelmauer and specialists call is Lump. The Lump building style is invented by Gustav von Bodelschwingh, who was a Pastor and a African missioner. The style was first used in Dünne, Herford. He learnt the technique from Kraft, a missionary colleague in East Africa. More than 300 settlements were built in this style until 1949. It is clay building technique that is easy to learn. The cost of material is cheap and easy to learn The only disadvantage is that it is not cost effective. First they make it on a round wooden stake to the cover the roof. They are situated on top of each other, they make the inside and outside walls. The bricks/clay bricks are formed with the hand or with a extrusion press. They are layed on top of each other like a normal brick wall. Lastly, to make a strong coat, a hole is pierced through every brick. Afterwards, the top coat is applied and holds better to protect the wall from weather. Lump is favourable to poorer builders as this can be made by the hand.

Finally, in the forest and wine area of Kremstal, there are still Lump walls from the 12th century.