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EARTH CONSTRUCTION This page includes links for general information on building with earth, for media, workshops, and projects. You'll also find a list of must-read books.

Building With Earth
Humans have been living in structures built of earth, since we started to build. There is Archeological evidence that nearly 10,000 years ago, entire cities where built of raw earth. Presently, 50% of the earth's Homo sapiens population, and most of earth non Homo sapiens population, live in shelters made of earth. Earth construction can be solid structural earth, a mixture of earth and straw or grasses, or just a plaster finish over another material.

Earth construction that is presently being built has been defined under the following construction methods: Adobe, compressed earth block, ceramic structure, cob and wattle and daub, gun applied earth, rammed earth, tire earth houses, and sand-earth bag construction. Clay brick and even concrete block, could be said to evolve out of earth construction.

These types of earth construction have a long history of construction, being built in various climate around the world. Today the natural minded earth designers and builders are exploring the past and developing new earthen structures to meet the needs of an ecological world.

GENERAL INFORMATION & RESOURCES

MEDIA

MUST-READ BOOKS

  • The Rammed Earth House
    David Easton, (Chelsea Green, 1996)
  • Buildings of Earth and Straw, 
    Bruce King, PE, (Chelsea Green, 1996)
  • Earthship, 3 volumes 
    Michael Reynolds, (Solar Survival Press, 1993)
  • Cobbers Companion
    Michael Smith (Cog Cottage Co, 1997)
  • Ceramic Houses & Earth Architecture
    Nader Khalil, ( Cal-Earth Press,1999)

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