The firm Christoph Hesse Architects addresses the challenges of rural areas by questioning and reinterpreting traditional structures of villages and landscapes in unconventional ways. Raised on a farm in the Hochsauerland region of Germany, Christoph Hesse brings his deep connection to nature and agricultural life to the projects, which are often developed in collaboration with local and international partners. 

Focusing on five central themes, Rural Rebellion presents a selection of spatial interventions through striking models, large-scale panoramic drawings, films, portrait photos and statements by the ‘Rural Rebels’. The exhibition illustrates how the projects create social, environmental and economical focal points, enabling a future-oriented transformation – one that not only improves life in the countryside, but also redefines it as a source of innovation and societal progress.

Strohtherme. Image © Thomas Baron

Following Grounded (2019), Rural Rebellion is the second monographic exhibition by Christoph Hesse Architects at Aedes Architecture Forum.

Christoph Hesse spent his childhood and youth on a farm in Referinghausen in the Hochsauerland region. His experiences with intensive interaction with nature and agricultural work in solidarity form the basis of his architectural and cultural visions. These experiences are expressed in a regenerative way of thinking and taking action that is oriented towards the natural rhythm of the seasons of the year – from the sowing of seeds to the harvest.

Offene Kapelle. Image © Laurian Ghinitoiu

The term agriculture is derived from the Latin word ‘agricultura’, which in its original sense denotes ‘cultivation’. What is meant is a conscious approach to nature through working sustainably rather than exploiting its resources. For Christoph Hesse, respect and understanding for nature are reflected in this position. The projects he initiates are thus shaped by this approach and emphasize considered, responsible action in which human beings and their relationship to the environment are central.

With its collaborative projects, the team of Christoph Hesse Architects with its international network responds to an increasingly individualised society. Against this backdrop, the projects are regarded as both an impetus for a change in thinking and precise interventions in existing structures. They represent a rebellion against the lack of responsibility of people towards their environment and in favour of more self-efficacy in the community. What therefore stands in the centre of the exhibition at Aedes is a future-oriented change of perspective.

Mosque of Nature. Image courtesy of Bild Christoph Hesse Architects

Exhibition

One important component of the exhibition Rural Rebellion are the impressive models of already realised projects and ones still under construction. They are supplemented by the statements and portraits of ‘Rural Rebels’ as well as large-format panorama drawings on linen banners and films providing extensive insights into the firm’s visions and methods. The exhibition invites visitors to contemplate the challenges and potentials of rural areas, which will be of crucial significance for coming generations.

The exhibition is structured in five thematic fields:

Perspective Changing
The Open Mind Places – a series of twelve installations by the ‘Rural Rebels’ from Referinghausen in the Sauerland region – open up new perspectives on rural regions and promote self-efficacy.

Visionary Seeding
Projects like the House of Knowledge in Xinyang, China, and Circle of Life in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, promote the connection to nature and impart knowledge about regenerative agriculture.

Collaborative Growing
International collaborations show how global partnerships lead to local solutions, including the Ways of Life project on Edersee, the Garden House in Bad Wildungen, and the Mosque of Nature in Cairo.

Resourceful Pioneering
The ‘Rural Rebels’ from Titmaringhausen in the Sauerland region are pursuing sustainable transformation. The self-sustaining Villa F stands for the transition to a CO2-neutral lifestyle, independent of fossil energy sources.

Regenerative Harvesting
This form of ‘harvesting’ contrasts with the conventional use of resources – only what regrows is picked. Examples such as the Siebenhof Farm in Ginseldorf show how regenerative principles promote ecological renewal and function as a social anchor.

Christoph Hesse Architects is an internationally active architecture firm with offices in Korbach and Berlin. The firm’s focus is on cooperative cultural and ecological projects in rural areas that promote regenerative thinking and action and strengthen the self-efficacy of participants. The firm was established in 2010 by Christoph Hesse, who was awarded his Master of Architecture at the ETH Zürich and his Master in Urban Design, with honours, at Harvard University. The firm has had a second office in Berlin since 2018.

Christoph Hesse Architects have received numerous national and international awards, including the Architectural Record Design Vanguard Award in New York. Publications such as vita (Libria, 2023) and Open Mind Places (Deutscher Architektur Verlag, 2020) document the firm’s work. It has been exhibited in important venues like the Architecture Biennale in Venice, documenta fifteen in Kassel, Aedes Architecture Forum in Berlin, Being Art Museum in Shanghai, and Sapienza University in Rome, where Christoph Hesse currently teaches. He was previously a guest professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing (2020–24) and has conducted research and taught at the ETH Zurich, Harvard University, and TU Darmstadt, among other institutions.

Chapel of Light, Ways of Life. Image © Thomas Baron

Exhibition facts

Exhibition: 26 October 2024 – 24 January 2025
Venue: Aedes Architecture Forum, Christinenstr. 18–19, 10119 Berlin
Opening Hours: Mon 1–5pm, Tue–Fri 11am–6.30pm, Sun and public holidays 1–5pm, Sat 26 October 2024, 1–5pm

Top image in the article: Kornfeld Pavillon – Open Mind Place, Referinghausen, 2023. Image © Thomas Baron.

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