Puddled Adobe

Puddled adobe is an ancient earthen building technique.
Puddled adobe is an ancient earthen building technique.

We reported on their adobe retreat center yesterday. Now New Life Foundation is building puddled adobe housing at their center in Chiang Rai, Thailand. This type of construction receives very little attention even though it’s one of the simplest, lowest cost building methods and has been around thousands of years. It’s believed the oldest house in the US — pre-Spanish — was built with puddled adobe. Among other things, puddled adobe would make good interior walls with adequate framing at doors.

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New Life Foundation

Adobe New Life Foundation retreat center
Adobe New Life Foundation retreat center

“It is our mission to cultivate a lifestyle that fosters inner growth and helps people to find meaning and purpose in life again. We believe that all of us have everything it takes to create a peaceful, equitable and sustainable existence. All we have to do is renew our relationship with ourselves and our environment.

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Confined Earthbag Construction

Confined earthbag construction
Confined earthbag construction

Confined masonry is one of the most common building systems in the world, with millions of structures built this way. The first confined earthbag house is now under construction in Ecuador.

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Patti Stouter’s Straw Wattle Dormitories

In northern Haiti the HCDP used these 3 straw wattle dorms for a gathering of almost 400 Haitian pastors.
In northern Haiti the HCDP used these 3 straw wattle dorms for a gathering of almost 400 Haitian pastors.

“My Haitian friends with HCDP have built 3 dorms of straw wattle on earthbag base. We sized them to fit the most beds possible, and to add 2 short tents between them so that they could accomodate the most beds possible for occasional classes. Although the reports all say that peasants are very resistant to learning improved agriculture from anyone, Haitian-born HCDP director Gueston Pacius seems to be changing that.

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