christoph hesse architects leads rural rebellion at aedes berlin exhibition

‘rural rebellion’ by christoph hesse architects

In times where urban areas are overburdened and rural spaces are often overlooked, Christoph Hesse Architects is leading a ‘rural rebellion’ that reimagines the countryside. Their exhibition, Rural Rebellion, showcased at Berlin’s Aedes Architecture Forum from October 26, 2024, to January 24, 2025, provides a vivid look at how rural regions can be revitalized through community-centered architecture. Christoph Hesse, who grew up on a farm in Germany’s Hochsauerland region, brings his personal connection to agricultural life into each project, making them both catalysts for social change and interventions that honor local knowledge. By focusing on rural renewal, Hesse and his team advocate for rural areas as vital spaces for societal progress, ecological sustainability, and a new architectural ethos.

(above) Rural Rebellion is more than an exhibition – it’s an invitation to see rural areas as sources of inspiration for sustainable, collaborative, and regenerative living | image © Erik-Jan Ouwerkerk

(banner) video © Reframe Videos

the exhibition’s five thematic pillars on rural challenges

Christoph Hesse Architects is an internationally active architecture firm with offices in Korbach and Berlin, focusing on cooperative cultural and ecological projects 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 Zurich and his Master of Architecture in Urban Design, with distinction, at Harvard University. With exhibition Rural Rebellion, Hesse and his team address the challenges of rural areas by questioning and reinterpreting traditional structures of villages and landscapes in unconventional ways. Hosted in Berlin’s Aedes Architecture Forum, the exhibition presents a series of groundbreaking ideas and projects, organized around five thematic pillars, aimed at revitalizing rural areas, alongside interventions that bring rural inspiration into urban contexts.

the projects address rural challenges by enhancing quality of life | image © Erik-Jan Ouwerkerk

At its core, Rural Rebellion is a call to action. Christoph Hesse and his internationally connected team reject conventional approaches, offering instead a fresh, collaborative vision for rural areas. Their projects address rural challenges by enhancing quality of life, bolstering sustainability, and creating innovative spaces for community and cultural activities. The exhibition’s mix of models, drawings, films, and portraits reveal the firm’s vision of a rural landscape that is as dynamic and innovative as urban areas, bridging the divide between urban and rural settings.

Chapel of Light | image © Thomas Baron

‘rural rebellion’ inspires societal awareness

The exhibition’s projects emphasize shifting perspectives, encouraging people to see rural spaces as dynamic centers for innovation and reflection. The Reflecting Points installations, for instance, invite people to experience rural landscapes in new ways. These installations were developed following Open Mind Places and were displayed around Kassel during documenta fifteen. They include the Coal Museum, which draws attention to the urgency of transitioning to renewable energy; Karl’s Eye, emphasizing wood as an essential CO2 storage; as well as Maria and Collective symbolizing biodiverse reforestation. Together, these installations inspire environmental awareness, societal engagement, and connections between urban and rural regions.

Collective (left) and Maria (right), Reflecting Points, documenta fifteen | image © Juergen Aymar

Another major theme of Rural Rebellion is ‘Visionary Seeding,’ a concept focused on reconnecting communities with nature through knowledge-sharing and regenerative agriculture. This approach is exemplified in projects like House of Knowledge in Xinyang, China, and Circle of Life in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. These projects merge agricultural, cultural, and educational activities, offering spaces for communal learning, ecological practice, and hands-on engagement with nature. By turning rural areas into hubs for environmental education and community bonding, these projects emphasize the potential of rural spaces to foster ecological and social renewal.

House of Knowledge | image © Gabriel Dong

The theme of ‘Collaborative Growing’ reflects a rebellion against top-down, individualistic design by promoting local and international partnerships. In Ways of Life, located on Lake Edersee, and the Garden House in Bad Wildungen, the architects demonstrate how collaborative architecture can foster shared spaces that meet diverse community needs. One striking example is the Open Chapel, a sanctuary for reflection created by the residents of

Hillershausen. This space, shaped by twelve towering sandstone pillars, symbolizes resilience, community, and openness to nature, offering a gathering place for shared experiences and fostering a spirit of togetherness.

Open Chapel | image © Thomas Baron

The architects’ commitment to ‘Resourceful Pioneering’ is visible in projects that reimagine sustainable living in rural settings. Villa F, located in Titmaringhausen, is part of a community-led initiative where residents—known as the ‘Rural Rebels’—have embraced a CO2-neutral lifestyle by converting organic waste into energy, significantly reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Similarly, the Wooden Wood Center at Willingen-Stryck serves as a gateway to the Diemelsee Nature Park, inviting visitors to engage with woodland ecosystems and learn about sustainable forestry practices. Both projects embody a transformative approach to rural living that respects natural resources and prioritizes environmental education.

Villa F | image © CHA

Several of Hesse’s projects further reflect a strong commitment to ecological transformation and social engagement. In Korbach, for instance, the Room of Silence, an abandoned goat stable, has been transformed into a contemplative space open to the sky and filled with plants, representing Korbach’s commitment to renewable energy. In fact, in the middle of the green house, a hammock was attached to ropes balanced by four stones, which metaphorically symbolize the green energy sources the city relies on, such as wind and solar power. This project is a powerful metaphor for both ecological and spiritual regeneration, with the transformed space serving as a gathering point for the community.

Room of Silence | image © CHA

The Open Mind Places project in Referinghausen extends this commitment to community-focused architecture. Featuring twelve installations connected by a footpath, the project invites visitors on a reflective journey through the landscape. Crafted from natural and recycled materials, each installation functions as a ‘Perspective Changer,’ encouraging visitors to consider the significance of nature and the role they can play in its preservation. This project fosters a sense of belonging and inspires visitors to contribute to ecological and social initiatives within the region.

The Mosque of Nature in Cairo is another ambitious project that combines religious and community functions with regenerative agriculture. Developed through a participatory design process involving local botanists, students, migrants, and residents, The Mosque includes gardens that produce food and natural building materials. The prayer hall, created with repurposed greenhouse structures, is interwoven with plants that filter sunlight, creating a peaceful, shaded atmosphere. The project is a striking blend of spiritual, agricultural, and architectural elements, reflecting the community’s connection to nature in an urban context.

The Mosque of Nature in Cairo | image © CHA

The Stones Water Light visitor center at Lake Edersee demonstrates how rural spaces can become cultural and educational venues. Built to resemble a ‘cut-out’ of the dam, the center’s tower structure reveals the dam’s inner workings and serves as a reminder of the local landscape’s ecological and social history. Through immersive light installations and open spaces for community learning, this project fosters regenerative thinking and celebrates the UNESCO Kellerwald-Edersee National Park’s ecological significance.

The Stones Water Light visitor center | image © Michael Meschede

The Stones Water Light visitor center | image © Erik-Jan Ouwerkerk

Ultimately, Rural Rebellion is more than an exhibition—it’s an invitation to see rural areas as sources of inspiration for sustainable, collaborative, and regenerative living. Christoph Hesse Architects’ projects remind us that rural areas could play a key role in shaping development strategies in urban spaces, fostering an architecture that bridges the gap between urban and rural, human and nature, past and future. Through this vision, Hesse’s team seeks not only to preserve and expand knowledge but to also empower rural environments as engines for innovation and resilience in the modern world.

by focusing on rural renewal, Hesse and his team advocate for rural areas as vital spaces for societal progress, ecological sustainability, and a new architectural ethos | image © Erik-Jan Ouwerkerk