Building with Earth: Design and Technology of a Sustainable Architecture

Illustrations 8.19, 8.20, 8.21and 8.22show

the production, transport and laying of

these elements. The walls of this project are

framed in timber with posts at 2.1 m cen-

tres. The panel thus formed is divided into

three parts with vertical timber elements 4 x

4 cm in section at 0.7 m/centres. They act as

tongues fitting into the loam elements to

provide lateral stability. In order to ensure

separation of these elements during the

drying process a cut is made with a trowel,

so that the joints act as pre-designed con-

traction joints. Upon drying, this gap widens

due to shrinkage, and can be favourably

filled when dry with a mixture of lime,

gypsum, sand and loam. It is very easy to

smooth the surface of these elements with

a moist sponge (8.23), though to get a rich-

ly textured and a regular effect (as seen in

the photographs), more shaping by hand

may be done before sponging. Illustration

8.24shows the filling of a contraction joint

with slightly moist loam using a hammer

and a wooden tool.

Illustration 8.26 and8.27show finished

walls. Walls composed of these elements

can be shaped easily in a wet state; a fin-

ished example is shown in 8.25, where

material has been added to the wall, as well

as sculpted out of it.

77 Direct forming

8.19

8.20

8.21

8.22 8.24

8.23

8.24