CAF 8 - Ronald Rael

Ronald Rael

Ronald Rael's interdisciplinary work spans architecture, art, technology, and social justice. He is an author, entrepreneur, advocate for human rights at the U.S.–Mexico border, and a creator of software and innovative construction materials. Rael is globally recognized for the Teeter Totter Wall project, which symbolically united communities across the border. He co-founded FORUST, a startup transforming wood waste with 3D printing into functional products, and pioneered robotic construction techniques for earthen buildings. His projects are housed in prestigious collections including the Museum of Modern Art, Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and LACMA. Currently, Rael serves as Chair of the Department of Art Practice and Eval Li Memorial Chair in Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley.

THE OVEN-BUILDER’S HOUSE

This installation pays tribute to the rufous hornero, a bird renowned for its oven-like mud nests, architectural marvels later repurposed by other species. This sculptural work explores the brick-making traditions of Garzón, incorporating a functional bread oven that fosters community through shared baking rituals. Crafted from earthen materials, the piece parallels the resilience of adobe and mud oven technologies, introduced to the Americas over 400 years ago. Blending natural ingenuity with cultural heritage, the sculpture celebrates cycles of creation, abandonment, and reuse, reflecting on sustainability, collaboration, and the enduring wisdom of traditional craft in architecture and life.