Nader Khalili, a Persian architect who has gotten the Aga Khan Award for Architecture has come up with a way to build ceramic houses that are a) dirt-cheap; b) environmentally friendly; c) earthquake resistant; d) flood- resistant; e) fireproof; and f) hurricane resistant.
The basic construction technique involves filling sandbags with earth and laying them in circular courses that are corbelled near the top to form a dome. Barbed wire laid between courses prevents the sandbags from shifting and provides earthquake resistance. Ironically, it is the materials of war - sandbags and barbed wire - that bind together traditional earth architecture with contemporary safety requirements.
The system uses the timeless forms of arches, domes, and vaults to create single and double-curvature shell structures that are both strong and beautiful. In addition to providing earthquake resistance, the aerodynamic form resists hurricanes. The use of sandbags aids flood resistance, and the earth itself provides insulation and fireproofing.
A very practical solution for people interested in setting up ecovillages.
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Links and books | |
Dirt-Cheap Houses from Elemental Materials by Ted Katauskas - Architecture Week
Ceramic Houses and Earth Architecture: How to Build Your Own - by Nader Khalili