Sustaining Terrain
Concept
Dirt is something that has been dealt with in constructions since the beginning of time and is usually pushed away to the background. In this project, dirt is being used as an insulator, shelter, structure, and a way to preserve the appearance of a natural landscape so people can construct homes without disturbing the views. These shelter homes are constructed using reclaimed materials and retired shipping containers, buried and surrounded in rammed earth. These pods create a transient learning community, where agriculturists can live with the land they work. The small size allows for a low cost and encourages users to live more with less.
Rammed Earth Rammed earth is a method for constructing foundations, floors, and walls by compacting natural raw materials such as dirt, rock, lime, chalk, and gravel. It is an ancient method that has been revived recently as a sustainable building technique. Making rammed earth involves compacting a damp mixture of dirt, raw natural materials, and a stabilizer to create a structurally sound surface. As time passes and the materials cure, the compressive strength of the wall increases.
INVESTIGATE
INFORM
DEVELOP
SITE GEOGRAPHY | Petersburg, Kentucky
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SITE AXON
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SUN DIAGRAM
7:02 AM
April 18
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MATERIALS
OSB
reclaimed wood
shipping container
earth
rammed earth
PLAN
POD 1 SECTION
KITCHEN / BATHROOM SECTION
28' - 6" 8' - 4"
20' - 2"
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8' - 6"
8' - 6"
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8' - 6"
8' - 6"
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20' - 0"
FLOOR PLAN
28' - 6"
11' - 6"
11' - 6"
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2' - 0"
1' - 7 15/16"
3' - 0"
0' - 3" 0' - 4"
0' - 8"
0' - 3"
8' - 2"
2' - 1"
3' - 6"
2' - 7 15/32"
2' - 0"
4' - 4"
4' - 3"
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BATHROOM PLAN
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2' - 0"
4' - 5"
3' - 7"
2' - 5" 4' - 2"
11' - 2"
4' - 7"
2' - 0"
KITCHEN PLAN
4' - 8"
3' - 0"
0' - 4"
1' - 2"
3' - 0"
12' - 0"
3' - 6"
2' - 2"
2' - 0"
2' - 0"
0' - 9" 0' - 9"
2' - 1"
4' - 1 1/8"
2' - 2"
8' - 2"
8' - 9 7/8"
4' - 3 1/2"
POD 1 PLAN
0' - 4"
3' - 0"
POD 2 PLAN 7' - 9" 1' - 6"
14' - 1" 2' - 6"
2' - 6"
1' - 10"
1' - 0"
1' - 9"
1' - 0"
4' - 1"
4' - 10"
1' - 0" 1' - 7"
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5' - 0"