As you can see from the list below, earthbag building is really starting to take off in Haiti. And these are just the projects we know about. There may very well be others. I’ll edit this list as things progress. Hopefully this list will spur sharing and networking. HAITI BUILT 2010 MARCH TO SEPTEMBER: Rodney … Read more
Here’s another Haiti project in the works. Text below is from their website. TYIN haiti is a TYIN tegnestue– initiative, comprised of a group of six students and two architects, all studying/ graduated from NTNU. TYIN tegnestue is a non-profit organisation working humanitarian through architecture. We aim to build strategic projects that can improve the … Read more
Patti Stouter has expanded and updated her soil testing guide Soil Tests for Earthbag. We’ve added the report to our EarthbagStructures.com and EarthbagBuilding.com websites, where you can find indepth information on every aspect of building with bags. Using the right soil is very important. After all, earthbag building uses soil as the primary building material, … Read more
Bacillus pasteuri, naturally occurring bacteria, can be used to turn sand into sandstone (calcite cement). This relatively simple process creates durable, low cost building materials. The technical name for this is microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP). Ginger Krieg Dosier of the United Arab Emerites was awarded the Metropolis 2010 Next Generation Winner for her innovative work. … Read more
Glass block adds a nice decorative touch to earthbag walls. The building process for adding glass block is fairly simple: Make wood frames much like window bucks, only smaller. Earthbag walls are quite thick, so you will probably want double glass blocks – one near the interior, one near the exterior. This creates a wide, … Read more
From time to time we answer reader’s questions. Q: Why aren’t people making roofs from earth using domes or Nubian vaults? In impoverished areas the cost of a tin roof is sometimes a year’s salary. A: Domes and vaults evolved in extremely dry areas of the Middle East, where wood was scarce and lack of … Read more