The Rammed Earth House is an eye-opening example of how the most dramatic innovations in home design and construction frequently have their origins in the distant past. By rediscovering the most ancient of all building materials —earth—forward-thinking homebuilders can now create structures that set new standards for beauty, durability, and efficient use of natural resources.
Rammed earth construction is a step forward into a sustainable future, when homes will combine pleasing aesthetics and intense practicality with a powerful sense of place. Rammed earth homes are built entirely on-site, using basic elements—earth, water, and a little cement. The solid masonry walls permit design flexibility while providing year-round comfort and minimal use of energy. The builder and resident of a rammed earth house will experience the deep satisfaction of creating permanence in a world dominated by the disposable.
Table of Content
1. The evolution of earth building
2. The beginning : design and materials
3. The architectural plan
4. Preparing to build
5. Foundations
6. The essential soil
7. The art of form building
8. Soil preparation and compaction
9. Doors, windows, niches, and fireplaces
10. Bond beams and basic engineering principles
11. Insulated walls and mechanical systems
12. Roofs and floors, or, After the wall
13. The house in the garden
About the author
David Easton is the founder, along with Cynthia Wright, of Rammed Earth Works (REW Associates), a firm that over the past thirty years has designed and built more than 100 residential and commercial rammed earth structures around the world. They live in Napa, California. David blogs at terrashouse.rammedearthworks.com
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