Ontario Rammed Earth House

The unusual “Mud House” house was constructed in King City, Ontario in 1937 by Blair Burrows, a remarkable woman architect from Toronto, using only local materials and without cutting down any trees. She built the house entirely by hand, of pisé de terre (rammed earth). Original features include the two-foot thick, rot-free walls and a monumental hearth.

Nk’Mip Desert Interpretive Centre

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Insulated rammed earth makes the front facade of the Nk’Mip Desert Interpretive Centre in Osoyoos, British Columbia. The wall stretches 220 feet and stands 20 feet high. A suspended slab supports 100,000 lbs. of rammed earth above a 55 foot-long window. The wall’s alternating bands of colour blend with the surrounding desert and mountains. The new 18,000 square foot facility will feature a large exhibit area, a gift shop, and a research centre and is designed by Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden. Wall Construction by Terra Firma Builders Ltd.