As an eco-friendly alternative to concrete, rammed earth has been trending for a minute; suffice it to say that the sustainable and cost-effective building solution has come a long way from ancient times. By using natural and usually local materials like sand, soil, clay, chalk, lime, or gravel, compressed into blocks, rammed earth buildings have low embodied energy and produce little waste. Moreover, the composite material is attractive as a means of passive climate control — and, if these projects are any indication, aesthetically, as well.
In honor of Earth Day 2015, we’ve dug up six new projects that are literally as down-to-earth as it gets:
Zenkonyu × Tamping Earth by Tadashi Saito + Atelier NAVE, Marugame, Japan
Created for the Setouchi Triennale 2013, Tadashi Saito and Atelier NAVE decided to build this piece of architecture in Honjima, a village in Japan, with the method of “hanchiku” or rammed earth.
Caterpillar House by Feldman Architecture, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif.
This open-plan space is made of excavated earth repurposed for the exterior walls which slightly curve with the structure’s contours and control temperatures within the home as a thermal mass regulator.
The Cave by Greenfield, Coahuila, Mexico
This elegant project, partially buried into the ground and blending into the surrounding landscape, employs a mix of local natural resources including rammed-earth walls, river rocks, pine, and concrete. 90 percent of its materials (by weight) come from nearby ranches and sandbanks.
© Jolson
Earth House by Jolson, Victoria, Australia
Although the concentric landscaped garden is certainly the most striking feature of this private residence, this split-level house is constructed primarily using rammed earth, made of local Dromana crushed rock.
© BCHO Architects Associates
BCHO Earth House by BCHO Architects Associates, Korea
This below-grade structure is set in a concrete box with the interior walls made from rammed earth.
© Zsolt Frikker
AÉS Wine Terrace and Spa by Gereben Marián Architects,
We’ve previously taken an in-depth look at this vineyard, which would also have fit in nicely in our recent winery roundup.
“Extra” Terrestrial Bonus
© Polifactory
Designed for a competition by the Architecture Foundation of British Columbia, this concept takes full advantage of rammed earth’s unique properties to create a net-zero building.
With additional reporting by Ray Hu