GROUND is more than an exhibition of Roger Boltshauser’s work. From 24 October to 1 November 2026, SHIBAURA HOUSE in Tokyo becomes a setting for an architectural conversation about material, construction and the conditions from which architecture emerges. Conceived and curated by Roger Boltshauser together with Atelier Andrea Gassner, the exhibition is less concerned with presenting a completed body of work than with articulating an attitude towards building.

The term GROUND is deliberately ambiguous. It refers to the earth itself, but also to foundation, origin and what is already present. What exists before architecture begins? The exhibition starts from this question, shifting attention away from the finished object and towards material, context, process and the conditions that precede form.

Over the course of a week, the exhibition expands into a forum for exchange between European and Japanese architecture. Architects and designers from Japan enter into dialogue with Roger Boltshauser, bringing different cultural perspectives into conversation with shared questions about how we build today. In this way, GROUND moves beyond the format of a monographic exhibition and becomes a platform where distinct positions can meet.

Earth, surfaces and traces shape the poster series and give the visual identity an immediate material presence. The design remains deliberately restrained, allowing space for images, content and different voices. GROUND thus becomes more than a title: it becomes a shared plane on which material, architecture and discourse can meet.

Saturday, 24 October 2026
Vernissage GROUND – Community, Craft, Change
Roger Boltshauser & Andrea Gassner

Monday, 26 October 2026
Exhibition Talk with Roger Boltshauser:
Jo Nagasaka & Andrea Gassner
COMMUNITY – Architecture is about people

Tuesday, 27 October 2026
Exhibition Talk with Roger Boltshauser:
Tomoaki Uno 
CRAFT – Architecture is about Material and Knowledge

Wednesday, 28 October 2026
Exhibition Talk with Roger Boltshauser:
Junya Ishigami
CHANGE – Architecture is about the Space Between

Friday, 30 October 2026
Exhibition Talk with Roger Boltshauser:
Mio Tsuneyama & Fuminori Nousaku

The Kesselhaus once served as the energy centre of the Cham paper mill. Boilers and turbines powered production, while its distinctive chimneys made its function visible far beyond the site. Today, the former Papieri is being transformed into a new mixed-use residential and working district. At its centre, the listed Kesselhaus takes on a new role: with a restaurant, office spaces and fitness facilities, it becomes a public meeting place within the emerging neighbourhood.

The signage evolves from the building’s industrial DNA. Construction, rhythm, materiality and the recurring presence of cylindrical elements — from the former paper rolls to the chimneys — are translated into a new visual system. Circular rods made of steel and light form letters, numbers and symbols. Rather than merely referencing the architecture, the design continues its language with consistency.

On the exterior, the lettering is integrated directly into the corrugated structure of the metal façade. LED rods follow its rhythm and form the name of the building. During the day, the lettering becomes part of the façade; after dark, the Kesselhaus turns into a highly visible beacon — almost like a lighthouse for the new neighbourhood.

The same principle continues inside. Signs constructed from circular rods respond to the exposed concrete, steel and raw material character of the existing building. In this way, the signage becomes a natural part of the Kesselhaus — precisely integrated, clear in its function and closely connected to the character of the architecture.

The Provostry of St. Gerold lies on a small plateau on the southern slope of the Walsertal and is rooted in the Benedictine heritage. Over the past 1,000 years, the original hermitage has grown into a multifaceted architectural ensemble. In recent decades it has been expanded and revitalized with high quality standards and careful guidance by HK-Architekten. The now complex structure and the sometimes high number of visitors require a wayfinding system for basic orientation.Atelier Andrea Gassner created a rather restrained signage concept, fully aware that the key lies not in visual loudness but in appropriateness, recognizability, and logical placement within the cartography of paths and decision points. A core element of orientation is the archway that marks the main entrance in a welcoming way, along with a stele placed in the center of the courtyard directing visitors to various locations and offerings.The cross – as the central symbol of Christianity – forms the constructive base module for steles, posts, and wall elements. The legendary Provostry emblem – a delicate, linear abstraction of a mythical creature – served as the basis for the graphic design of the pictograms. These fulfill the important task of providing memorable, language-neutral communication.The designations are typeset in a contemporary serif typeface. The materials and color palette integrate with the architectural culture of the provostry: aluminum blocks, steel constructions, and anthracite and silver-colored surfaces. Beyond all pragmatic functions, the aim of this signage intervention is to inform quietly and helpfully while fostering identification with this special place.

The new Eugen Bolz Student Residence by Cukrowicz Nachbaur Architekten, set within the inner-city park landscape of Weingarten, creates generous visual connections to the surrounding greenery. The interplay of red tones on the façade echoes the chromatic variation of the different shades of green in the tree canopy.

The three dominant tree species in the park—oak, pine, and plane tree—were translated by Atelier Andrea Gassner into a new graphic sign system for the building’s wayfinding concept. They serve as both a conceptual and visual basis for dividing the building into its three wings. Bold, graphic icons derived from these forms are used as wayfinding elements and also function as an ornamental carpet design. Along the building’s 90-metre length, the custom-developed carpet pattern transforms in response to each section of the building, offering subtle orientation for the entrances to more than 180 rooms. This intuitive wayfinding system is contrasted with striking elements: both outdoors and in the foyer, colorful posters provide orientation and act as informative accents on site.

On the exterior, directly above the elevated, semi-open ground floor, a typographic “façade band” communicates the name of the residence and is interwoven with quotations from its namesake, Eugen Bolz.