Owen Geiger

The Orange Tree Atelye (or Workshop)

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Here’s another project taking off to help Haiti. Text quoted from their website. We are an interdisciplinary research and design team from the University of Cincinnati. We were formed to provide a long term growth plan for the Good Shepherd Orphanage in Carrefour, Haiti. However, our ambitions do not stop there. We hope to use … Read more

Imitation Stone Walls and Fake Rocks

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR7MhJ5h_c8 You can make textured walls, benches and other objects that look just like stone. This video and the article below show you the basics. I prefer the beauty of natural stone, but this is an option worth considering for special situations. Here’s one example. You could plaster your walls to simulate the color and … Read more

Earth Dome II at Pomona College Organic Farm

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[Text below is from their website.] The Earth Dome II Project has redefined the scope and community base of the farm. The project began in 2001 following a visit to CalEarth in Hesperia. Following this visit, a group of students and community members built an earth dome at the farm during spring and summer of … Read more

Gypsum and Lime Stabilized Soil (Alker Technology)

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Although not necessarily required for earthbag building, stabilizing soil improves water resistance and compressive strength, and speeds drying time. Since 1978, Istanbul Technical University has been researching a technique called alker technology or alker construction. Basically it’s just soil stabilized with lime and calcined gypsum (plaster of Paris). The following summary is taken from their … Read more

Low-Cost Reinforcement of Earthen Houses in Seismic Areas

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[Most text quoted from the referenced article shown below.] Vernacular earthen houses located in seismic areas are at risk because of their inherent structural vulnerability. Adobe houses, for instance, are strong in compression but weak in tension. Earthquakes pull adobe houses apart, causing great loss of life and property. However, due to economic reasons, earth … Read more