From the Series
The house pictured here is a result of the Earth Block Project, an intiative that was started in 2008 to develop a construction material that can be made with any soil in the world.
In Chiba, Japan, Atelier Tekuto designed a single-storey earth brick residence, which differs completely form the ultra-modern buildings usually seen in Japan.
Some 2 600 earth bricks were used to construct thaw walls. The bricks were made out of mixture of local soil and magnesium oxide. Tekuto says magnesium was also used in the masonry joints of the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids.
Density was a key consideration in selecting the materials for this house. A combination of earth, terrazzo floors, glass block window and laminated veneer lumber was chose for a harmonious mix.
The idea behind the construction of the house is to look at developing earth-based, regionally relevant building solutions that pay heed to soil structures and sustainable development.
