TEACHING

Constructing in wood has reached all typologies in architecture. From alpine shelters over housing till mixed use highrise and industrial volumes as logistic centres or train stations. Students appriciate individual responsibility. Therefor design tasks are multi dimensional as well in size, programm, location, budget and mix of materials. Hybrids in construction like wood concrete sandwiches have pushed fire safty and brought unseen spatial possiblities in wooden buildings. Hardwood and innovative joining techniques introduced by lectures are applied in recent students projects. See examples from HTW Chur and Uni Liechtenstein teaching experience.

Academic Career
since 2018 | University of Applied Sciences HTW Chur, Associate Lecturer

• Timber Construction and Architecture. 4 th Semester, summer term. Responsible for the Design Task. Co Teachers: Norbert Mathis, Robert Albertin, Thöna Rauch. Integration Subjects: building physics, mechanical systems, project management, electrical and sanitary installations. Guest Engineer: Pirmin Jung – Holz-Beton-Verbund.
• Timber Construction and Architecture for Architects and Civil engineers. Co-Teaching with timber engineer Daniel Schmidt in winter term.

since 2017 | University of Liechtenstein - Design Studio Mair, Senior Lecturer

• Material Matters. Upcycling. SS 19. Design Assistance by Theresa Rädler
• Material Presence. New Construction. SS 18. Design Assistance by Theresa Rädler
• Architecture and Construction, Analysis. SS 17. Design Assistance by Theresa Rädler

since 2016 | University of Liechtenstein, Senior Lecturer and BA Modul Coordinator in Building Technology

• Co-Teaching for Building Integration in several Design Studios
• Building in the Heritage at Studio Corinna Menn
• Timber Construction at Studio Dieter Jüngling
• Building Construction at Design Theory Studio Alberto Alessi

since 2011 | Lecturing Building Construction I-IV, in German language. Detailing in Timber, Clay, Masonry, Concrete, Steel and Glass, Plastics and Hybrids.

• Building Construction 1st Semester BA, Building Materials - Sample 1:1, Standard Details, Excursion to Industriy Partner Clay, Basics in Clay Constructions
• Building Construction 2nd Semester BA, Timber Constructions, Excursion to Industry Partner Timber, Basics in Steel and Glass Constructions
• Building Construction 3rd Semester BA, Brick Constructions, Excursion to Industry Partner Brick, Construction Seminar, Advanced Steel Constructions
• Building Construction 4th Semester BA, Concrete Constructions, Excursion to Inustry Partner Glass, Innovative Materials in Constructions.

2008 - 2016 | University of Applied Science Liechtenstein, Institute of Architecture and Planning

• Teaching Assistance in Master of Sustainable Design, Prof. Dietrich Schwarz 2008-12
• Co-Teaching with Guest-Prof. Conradin Clavuot 2012-2016. In English language
• Lecturing Building Construction I-V, in German language
• Lecturing Tectonics, in German language

Studio Excursions

2009 - 2019 | In Co-Organization and Leadership

• Lahdak in the Himalaya. Vernacular Buildings in Clay and Wood - 3 Weeks
• Moscow. Subway Stations and the City.
• Hydra, Greece Monasteries by foot.
• New York. Highrise Buildings.
• Romania. Traditional Timber Constructions in Timber Churches across the country
• NL & Belgium. Dutch Urbanism and Belgium Upcycling
• Grison, Tirol and South Tirol. Alpine Architecture in Timber and Stone

Excursion with students to the Himalayas | Ladakh, India
Studio of Sustainable Design Clavuot and Mair travels for 3 weeks to study clay and wood constructions in the desert region of kashmir. NGOs and all kinds of acitivists have gathered in Leh, to protect the cultural heritage against the ongoing boom of tourism. Since the opening of the encolsed region in 1974, an increase of guest causes infrastructure and guest houses in a dramatic pace.

Studio MAIR | Material Matters SS 18
Studio on construction materials, their methods and sensual expressions. In a highly structured semester guidline, each student develops his/her own and individual building material in a unique programme, site and concept. Starting with a 7x7x7 m test building, the tectonic of the picked material is experimentally approached. The usual red line of given task and site followed by floor plan design and final construction drawings, is put upside down. From the material, over tectonically discovered spaces, the programme and a perfect site are invented. At the end, each of the first year students is able to present his/her totally independent work. A plastic party boat to inform the public about plastic waste in the oceans, an adobe motel in the grand canyon, or a timber constructed free flow kindergarden in Vorarlberg, are just some of the resuling projecst of the ongoing architects.

Studio MAIR | Kurzentwurf SS 17
Studio on analysis of master pieces. Here are examples shown like Peter Zumthors private house and atelier in Haldenstein via refined pencil drawings and void model from below. A project of Valerio Olgiati - die Schleife is analized and presented in an outstanding pencil drawing and a negativ model of the apartment spaces. OMA´s high density patios in Japan are illustrated by a talented first years student from portugal. Three projects of an intense 4 weeks studio. 

INTEGRATION MAIR | STUDIO DIETER JÜNGLING
Studio on timber constructions in grison. Innovative joining, structures and spaces are tested in models and developed in detailed drawings of scale 1/10.

INTEGRATION MAIR | STUDIO CORINNA MENN
Studio on a concrete church structure at he Marienburg, St. Gallen, CH. Timber interventions extended the life span into a secular building use. 

SEMINAR WEEK POSCIAVO MAIR | WS 1718
Revitalization of Casa Olgiati, an old stone house in the very centre of the village of Posciavo in south Grison. A real challenge for a real client like a local hotelier, lead to real motivation by the team of students. Working in the heritage means carful observation, innovative concepts and complex project decisions. At the end of the week, 100 citizens joined the presentation event and discussed engaged and even quite touching about the future of their community, their building stock and almost forgotten traces of history.

LECTURE   BUILDING CONSTRUCTION   Semester 1 - 5 | 2011-2019
How to design a construction in detail? From raw material to final building - the process of production, use, maintenence, aging and recycling are targeted by input lectures and little task for individual implementation by each student. Sketching of technical details in scale 1 / 20 are trained and presented to the pear group.

STUDIO CLAVUOT / MAIR WS 1112 - WS 1516|
Through all the years of Co-teaching with Conradin Clavuot, sustainable architecture in the alpine region has been the leading philosophy. Numerous communities, majors, entrepreneurs, architects and civil engineers where partners in real task projects around grison and beyond. 

Stables, museums, housing for refugees, sports and all kinds of facilities of social relevance where designed by ambitious studens.

HANDS-ON TEACHING

Hands-on Workshops
2018 | Base Camp - Upcycling of Steelcontainer. Eventspace for the public with CLT unfolding platform and shifting timber framed polycarbonate shell. 25 students at Frommelt Holzbau, Schaan. Structural Design, detailing and tools instruction. Seminar organized by Martin Mackowitz and collegues.

2016 | Seminarweek University of Liechtenstein in Großklein at Atelier Mair
From the idea to final buildings in 6 days. Free students choice, design and construction

• Mobile Chicken stable, Timber construction 300x100x100 cm, 6 students
• Glasshouse fully to unfold, polycarbonate on timber frames. 400x200x250 cm, 6 students

Architects as Studio Critics at Studio Clavuot
2009 - 2016 |

• Hermann Kaufmann
• Anette Gigon (Gigon Guyer)
• Valentin Bearth (Bearth Deplazes)
• Andrea Deplazes (Bearth Deplazes)
• Rainer Weitschiess (Peter Zumthor)
• Roger Boltshouser
• Quintus Miller (Miller Maranta)
• Tamara Olgiati (Valerio Olgiati)
• Andreas Hagmann (Jüngling Hagmann)
• Anette Spiro
• Walter Angonese
• Gion Caminada
• Jürg Conzett