In my opinion, this project ranks as one of the top in the world not just for its sheer size (over 40 earthbag domes) but also for its leading role in demonstrating how earthbag building can provide affordable housing to those in need (in this case homeless children in Nepal).
The Pegasus Children’s Project includes an orphanage and school for 80 children in the Himalaya Mountains near Kathmandu. Perhaps the most striking feature is the seamless blending of domes of various sizes and shapes. The final result is artistic, practical, safe and affordable. This is a must-see project for all those studying earthbag building.
To learn more, visit our Projects page.
Buendia!
We have constructed domos of superadobe, in Uruguay and plastered the exterior and interior with a lime plaster including a brick dust pozzolan, hempen fibers. Some layers have juice of the cactus and some have paste of flour, as cactus availability was limited. While the plaster is very durable and there is very little cracking, there is also water entering from rain. The foundation is very deep of rubble, and including French drains around the building. One room appears to have water seeping up in the wall, maybe from the misguided use of Portland beneath tiles around the skirt to shed water from the base. We will replace those tiles removing the Portland and using instead more lime. Please, we are very grateful for all advice’s on how to stop the water that is entering from about one meter and a half up the walls.
It sounds like your foundation is as good as it could be, and should not be wicking water upward. We usually advise filling the bags with gravel for the first couple of courses to avoid ground level moisture from wicking, so this may be an entry point. Also, you say that water is getting in from the cracks in the plaster, so that is another concern. Earthbag domes are not a good idea in places with a lot of moisture for these reasons. Repairing the situation may involve coating the outside with a waterproof paint (hopefully the interior plaster is breathable) and very careful landscaping around the dome to shed water away from it. In a worst-case scenario you may have to construct another roof over the building.
Hello, please can you let me know david smail’s from UK email adress or any contact. Thank you.
I don’t think I have it.
Hi mlajoss!
i am a journalist from Nepal. and i am trying to publish about this project in our magazine. Do you have any contact person in Nepal who was involved in this project? Can you give me your email Id to get in touch with you regarding the same?
thanks
Bansri
Hi! I have mark the place on Google Map: Sundarijal, Central Region, Nepal , then you will find Pegasus Children Home…
Stunning project, I recommend for every one to see it if you have opportunity!!! If you want more info you can contact me, I have been involved in this project. Also our recent project you can check on a Facebook page: Earth-bag build, London.
Regards!
mlajoss
Hi.
We’re building a earthbag dome construction near Pokhara, Nepal. Since the building grows higher we’d like to work with polypropylene tubes instead of the bags we use now. Can you advice us where we can buy the proper tubes in Nepal?
We’ve found some tubes but it has an extra waterproof layer. This isn’t suitable for an earthbag construction, isn’t it?
We’d really like to hear from you soon.
Kind regards,
Sander.
The plastic layer is not good for earthbag building. They would prevent walls from drying completely.
You’ll have to check for bag suppliers in the big cities. The bags are used for rice, etc. Maybe you could contact the other projects in Nepal we’ve covered in this blog and find out where they bought their bags.
Hello
I spent 6weeks earlier this year at Cal-Earth in California and had an amazing time! I returned home and built an 8ft dome for the children at a local primary school. I have family in Nepal at the moment and they are very keen to visit the Pegasus Children’s Project orphanage. I have tried to find the details of its location however I am having no luck. Can you please let me know where it is exactly so I can forward the details onto my family. They are only in Kathmandu for another week.
Thank you so much. The project is stunning
With warmth
Mystee (Melbourne, Australia)
I don’t have the address or know exactly where it is, sorry. I think it’s on the outskirts of town. They should be able to ask around and find it.
We would love to hear what you learn from your visit. Please post a follow-up comment later. And I encourage everyone to visit projects, talk to owners and take notes.
This project was brought to my attention by a friend while discussing domes and cost-effective relief activities. I am planning a casual visit to the Pegasus Cal-Earth Dome project site in Nepal this weekend to see how the community feels about living in the domes one year on. Looking forward to it!
A beautiful complex, and well presented in the video.
As a landscape architect, I always wish there were north arrows on diagrams or photos.
The info states the domes are comfortable at this high elevation- in cool weather that may be partly because the doors and windows were aimed away from prevailing winds and open to the southeast or south to capture as much sun as possible in the morning.
For comfort in hot periods, an interesting thought is that in a group of domes like this the multiple peaks cast a lot of shade on each other. For a single dome in hot regions I would think added porches would also help to keep the sun off the walls.
I watched the video again and it appears the orientation is the same as you’ve described. In addition to the points you’ve made, which I agree with, domes have a unique property of minimizing heat gain. The curvature of a dome creates its own shade. Sunlight falls on only a limited area at any given moment. And since the angle of the sun is always changing, this area keeps changing and so heat buildup is minimized.