The Rammed Earth House is a beautifully illustrated example of how the most dramatic innovations in home design and construction frequently have their origins in the distant past. By rediscovering the most ancient of all building materialsoearthoforward-thinking homebuilders can now create structures that set new standards for beauty, durability, and efficient use of natural resources. Rammed earth construction is a step forward into a sustainable future, when homes will combine pleasing aesthetics and intense practicality with a powerful sense of place. Rammed earth homes are built entirely on-site, using basic elementsoearth, water, and a little cement. The solid masonry walls permit design flexibility while providing year-round comfort and minimal use of energy. The builder and resident of a rammed earth house will experience the deep satisfaction of creating permanence in a world dominated by the disposable.

Table of Contents

The evolution of earth building; The point of beginning n how design; and materials integrate; The architectural plan; In preparation for building; Foundations; The essential soil; The art of form building; Soil preparation and compaction; Doors, windows, niches and fireplaces; Bond beams and basic engineering; principles; Electrical and plumbing; Roofs and floors, or after the wall; The house in the garden

About the Author

David Easton is the founder, along with Cynthia Wright, of Rammed Earth Works (REW Associates), a firm that over the past thirty years has designed and built more than 100 residential and commercial rammed earth structures around the world. They live in Napa, California.

Reviews

The beauty and grace of rammed earth construction is described in fascinating detail by David Easton. The photographs of different structures, both modern and ancient, by Cynthia Wright, create a breathtaking glimpse into a building technique that is as old as human history, but exactly suitable for today's resource-conscious and environmentally friendly building needs - Oikos Bookstore