Tag: rammed earth

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Meeting Point, Fuinneamh Workshop Architects

 

Meeting Point, located in Cork, Ireland

Meeting Point, a shelter designed by Fuinneamh Workshop Architects in Cork, Ireland, is a quaint pavilion-like building. It was designed to house gatherings to discuss the environment and biodiversity in Tramore Valley Park. The architects desired to create a building that captured and framed the surrounding area, while also operating as a mechanism to draw park visitors into the space to observe and contemplate. 

Formally speaking, the design is “deliberately rudimentary.” Its fundamental composition is two end walls and four columns, resting atop a hoggin floor(earth, sand, and stone mix), and covered by a traditional Irish hipped roof structure.

Longitudinal section
“The plan of the building references the architecture of a miniature temple. “

 

The materials for this project were also locally sourced. More specifically, the earth used to make the walls, columns, and floor. In addition, its roof is an open timber frame with a reed thatched finish. 

Locally sourced rammed earth.

Being environmentally conscious and site-specific is a typical trait of Fuinneamh Workshop Architects’ buildings; As such, the architects took great care in being deliberate about materials; the hoggin floor references the style of streets of Cork up to the beginning of the last century. Earth, timber, and reed were chosen as the primary materials because of their organic properties, allowing them to be returned to the landscape at the end of the project’s lifetime. Finally, the surrounding subsoil properties were analysed and researched, graded, and tested to ascertain the optimum soil mix for application in construction. This was integral to the success of the project. Without these measures, the structural stability of the project would have been compromised in Southern Ireland’s wet, windy, and unforgiving environment.

Project data

Start on site July 2022
Completion May 2024
Gross internal floor area 40m2
Construction cost £24,725
Construction cost per m2 £620
Architect Fuinneamh Workshop Architects
Client LennonTaylor KinShip, Cork City Council, and Creative Ireland
Structural engineer Civil and Structural Engineering Advisors
Project manager Seán Antóin Ó Muirí
Principal designer Seán Antóin Ó Muirí
Approved building inspector Kieran Ruane
Earth Analysis Department of Engineering, Munster Technological University
Main contractor Wiseman Construction Services
CAD software used LibreCAD
Predicted design Life 50 years

 

Sources

“Case Study: Den Talamh by Fuinneamh Workshop Architects.” The Architects’ Journal, 12 Nov. 2025, https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/specification/case-study-den-talamh-by-fuinneamh-workshop-architects.

“den talamh Meeting Point / Fuinneamh Workshop Architects.” ArchDaily, 4 Sept. 2025, https://www.archdaily.com/1033643/den-talamh-meeting-point-fuinneamh-workshop-architects.

“Projects.” Fuinneamh Workshop Architects, https://fuinneamh-workshop.com/projects/.

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BC Materials

BC Materials is a Belgian company that develops, produces, demonstrates, and sells earthen building materials. Founded as a workers co-operative and spin-off of BC Architects (Brussels Corporation) in 2018, BC Materials’ goal is to facilitate the replacement of contemporary, standard building materials with earth-based alternatives in European construction. The firm was the “brainchild” of Ken De Cooman, Nicolas Coechelberghs, Laurens Bekemans, and Wes Degreef. 

Roughly 60% of earth excavated in construction is wasted due to storage and transportation challenges. To combat this, BC Materials has pioneered a “circular” method of construction with earthen materials that uses urban mineral waste from construction sites and repurposes the excavated earth to make rammed earth structures, compressed earth blocks, and earth plasters/paints. The process of making these products using recycled earth is carbon-neutral, meaning BC Materials’ products are much better for the environment than the aforementioned contemporary alternative building materials.  

Rammed earth building, BC Materials was consulted during construction. Image by BC Materials

According to their website, BC Materials is involved in 5 primary activities: 

  1. Developing materials and consulting construction partners on their use.
  2. Making bespoke materials.
  3. Designing and prefabricating objects and constructive systems.  
  4. Training contractors and craftsmen.
  5. Producing and commercializing a brand of standard circular materials called Léém. 

Léém is BC Materials premier product line that attempts to make earthen materials more accessible to both architects and builders. Offering Léém clay plasters and paints, Léém earth block masonry, and Léém rammed earth mixes and tools, BC Materials are working to transform the availability and convenience of circular earthen building materials for use in every-day construction.  

 

 

Leem Clay Paints, picture by BC Materials

 

Sources: 

BC Materials. BC Materials, https://bcmaterials.org/.

Building with Earth – BC Materials and the Revival of Clay in Construction.” Natura Mater, 10 Dec. 2024, https://www.naturamater.eu/en/post/building-with-earth-bc-materials-and-the-revival-of-clay-in-construction.

“BC Materials.” Regenerative Design World, https://regenerativedesign.world/bc-materials-2/.

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Armando Guadalupe Cortés: ¿Y LA GENTE?

Cortez performing El Descanso En La Gloria, (Rest when I am Dead), 2017

Armando Guadalupe Cortés was born in Urequío, Michoacán, México and raised in Wilmington, California. He graduated with an MFA from Yale School of Art 2021 and a BA from UCLA in 2012 .  ¿Y LA GENTE? from 2020, blends sculpture and performance to explore themes of memory, myth, history, geography, experience and materiality. 

Rammed Earth Columns before the performance

¿Y LA GENTE? (And the People?)
2020
Installation and performance
Clay, earth, iron oxides, stoneware
Each pillar 64” x 24” x 24”

Film still of the performance at ASU Art Museum, 2020

During the performance of ¿Y LA GENTE? Cortes excavates the rammed earth columns surrounded by musicians and dancers of his native Mexican heritage. Once revealing a gold ceramic sculpture within each column, one resembling a nopal cactus and the other a milling stone, Cortes exits the gallery leaving the deconstructed pillars to remain for the rest of the exhibition.  

Revealed Nopal Cactus
Revealed milling stone

Through blending performance and sculpture, he is able to question the dichotomy between myth and fiction as an antonym to history. Growing up in two worlds has lead Cortés to a fantastical take on the ordinary. He incorporates the multitude of symbols and identities from his family of farmers, migrants, manufacturers, office professionals, and professors in his material palette and choice of dress. In contrasting the mythical or in this case the colorful and culturally rich materiality with his business casual clothing, he illustrates the parallelism and tension within his life and work. This re-assembling of materials and cultural symbolism is crucial to how Cortes seeks to challenging notions of spectacle and viewership.

Sources:

Artist Website: https://armandogcortes.com/Y-LA-GENTE-2020

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/402306364?fl=pl&fe=cm

Bemis Center: https://www.bemiscenter.org/residents/armando_guadalupe_cort%C3%A9s

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Dot.ateliers, Adjaye Associates

Osu Waterfront, Accra, Ghana

(Adjaye Associates built a new home for dot.ateliers’ community and art space in Accra)

Dot.ateliers is located on the Osu waterfront in Accra, Ghana. The building was completed in 2023. The project covers approximately 540 to 600 square meters. Amoako Boafo founded the project as an artist residency and community art space. The building supports studios, exhibitions, and public programs for contemporary art in Ghana.

David Adjaye designed the project with his practice, Adjaye Associates. David Adjaye is a Ghanaian-British architect. He was born in Tanzania and raised in the United Kingdom. He founded Adjaye Associates in 2000. The studio works internationally. The practice focuses on culture, local materials, climate response, and social impact.

      David Adjaye

(https://indonesian-recipes.com/)

Adjaye believes architecture should respond to place. He sees buildings as part of social and cultural systems. He does not treat architecture as a neutral object. He often uses local materials in his work. He always considers climate and geography during design.


Dot.ateliers reflects these values clearly. The building uses locally sourced rammed earth as its main material. The material reduces the carbon footprint. The material also connects the building to Ghana’s construction traditions. The façade uses a double-skin system. The cavity between the layers improves thermal performance. The system helps regulate heat in Accra’s hot and humid climate. The material shapes both structure and atmosphere.

South-facing windows

Adjaye Associates built a new home for dot.ateliers’ community and art space in Accra

The site strongly influences the design. The building stands near the coastline. The ocean brings strong sunlight and steady winds. The architects needed to manage heat, light, and ventilation. The surrounding neighborhood contains small residential buildings. The area does not include high-rise towers. The building keeps a modest scale in response. The building rises three stories. The building remains compact and controlled.

West Section

(https://worldarchitecture.org/architecture-news/fzmgm/adjaye-associates-built-a-new-home-for-dot-ateliers-community-and-art-space-in-accra?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

The ground floor creates the main connection to the city. A perforated timber screen defines the entrance. The screen forms a transition between the street and the courtyard. The screen creates a space that feels both open and protected. The ground floor contains the café and gallery. The courtyard brings light and air into the center. This level supports public activity and circulation.

Ground Floor Gallery

Adjaye Associates built a new home for dot.ateliers’ community and art space in Accra

The upper floors contain more private spaces. The second floor holds artist studios and work areas. The atmosphere becomes quieter on this level. The top floor contains additional studios and enclosed rooms. The organization follows a clear vertical order. The building moves from public to private as one moves upward.

(Dot Ateliers / Adjaye Associates | ArchDaily)

Interior materials support this order. Exposed concrete appears in circulation areas. White plaster defines the gallery spaces. Timber adds warmth to transitional zones. Each material helps clarify function.

The Cafe

Artist’s studio

(Dot Ateliers / Adjaye Associates | ArchDaily)

The roof completes the spatial experience. The sawtooth roof introduces north-facing clerestory light. The roof allows soft and even daylight to enter the gallery. The roof reduces glare and excessive heat. The roof acts as both a formal gesture and a climate device.

Dot.ateliers shows how a small building can carry strong meaning. The project connects culture, climate, and community. The project expresses the values of Adjaye Associates through material and space. The building remains simple, grounded, and precise.

(dot.ateliers – Adjaye Associates)

 

 

 

 

Citations

1.Dot.ateliers / Adjaye Associates — Project Overview, ArchDaily. Retrieved from:
https://www.archdaily.com/1036823/dot-ateliers-adjaye-associates

2.Dot.ateliers — Project Detail, Adjaye Associates (official project page). Retrieved from:
https://www.adjaye.com/work/dot-ateliers/

3.Adjaye Associates — Studio Official Website, Adjaye Associates. Retrieved from:
https://www.adjaye.com/

4.Adjaye Associates Built a New Home for dot.ateliers Community and Art Space in Accra, WorldArchitecture.org. Retrieved from:
https://worldarchitecture.org/architecture-news/fzmgm/adjaye-associates-built-a-new-home-for-dot-ateliers-community-and-art-space-in-accra

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David Easton’s Rammed Earth Works

Photo by U.S. Green Building Council

Californian David Easton (1948-2021) was a pioneer in the use of rammed earth in contemporary construction. David Easton first learned of rammed earth through a book titled “Build Your House of Earth” by G.F. Middleton. Trained as both an engineer and architect at Stanford University, Easton was surprised to learn that the “moist soil compacted directly into movable forms wielding immediately load-supporting walls,” claiming it “seemed too good to be true” [1]. 

Enamored by the little literature and research available on rammed earth, Easton set out to perfect the methods and applications of the material and founded his company, Rammed Earth Works, in 1976. In the 50 years since, Easton and Rammed Earth Works have worked on hundreds of both residential and commercial projects across the nation, cementing themselves as one of the world’s leading firms in the research and application of rammed earth construction technologies [2]. Easton’s company has also helped push the envelope to make the building codes around the nation be more accepting of rammed earth construction and developed various rammed earth technologies such as PISE (pneumatically impacted stabilized earth), Terratile, and the Easton (California) Forming System for rammed earth and cast elements [3].

 

Easton Forming System in action, photo by Cynthia Wright.

 

PISE in action, photo by David Easton.

In 1996, Easton published The Rammed Earth House, an exploration of the history and modern use of rammed earth construction with beautiful photographs taken by Cynthia Wright of both modern and historical examples [4]. Easton has since revised The Rammed Earth House, and in the years since its initial publication, it has been widely accepted as one of the most informative and influential works on rammed earth, showing an ancient building technique that is exactly suitable for today’s resource-conscious and environmentally friendly building needs.

One of David Easton’s most notable rammed earth projects is the Windhover Contemplative Center at Stanford University. This project, designed to be a spiritual refuge on the college campus, was created in collaboration with architects Aidlin Darling and Andrea Cochran, as well as artist Nathan Oliveira.  

Photo taken by Matthew Millman.

The project contains three large rammed earth walls designed to be a backdrop to Oliveria’s paintings. In the center of the largest wall, a 234,000 pound rammed earth wall 20 feet tall and 60 feet long, sits a large diptych painted by Oliveira. 

Photo taken by Matthew Millman.

The project was extremely labor extensive: each wall was built “in 42 six-inch lifts pounded to four-inch courses by eight men on rammers.”

Credit Aidlin Darling Design.
Credit Aidlin Darling Design.

Sources: 

  1.  Block, David. “Looking at the Legacy of Legendary Earth Builder David Easton: February 25, 1948 — February 12, 2021.” Medium, 6 June 2021, davidyblock.medium.com/looking-at-the-legacy-of-legendary-earth-builder-david-easton-february-25-1948-february-12-b63e8c7677be. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
  2. English, Mark, AIA. “David Easton – 45 Years of Rammed Earth.” The Architects’ Take, 16 Nov. 2018,thearchitectstake.com/interviews/david-easton-45-years-of-rammed-earth-construction/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
  3. Rammed Earth Works. “About Us.” Rammed Earth Works, www.rammedearthworks.com/about-us. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
  4. Aidlin Darling Design. “Windhover Contemplative Center.” Aidlin Darling Design, aidlindarlingdesign.com/projects/windhover-contemplative-center/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

 

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Andy Goldsworthy

Review: In 'Leaning Into the Wind — Andy Goldsworthy,' an Artist Grapples (Again) With Time - The New York Times

The artist Andy Goldsworthy in “Leaning Into the Wind.” Credit:Thomas Riedelscheimer/Magnolia Pictures

Andy Goldsworthy is an international based artist born in England.  His art process is known for integrating and creating with the natural environment. Working as both sculptor and photographer, Goldsworthy crafts his installations out of rocks, ice, leaves, or branches, cognizant that the landscape will change, then carefully documents the ephemeral collaborations with nature through photography.

Andy Goldsworthy’s installation Tree Fall

Andy Goldsworthy, “Tree Fall“, 2013

Goldsworthy has numerous art installation and creations.  However, his art installation, Earth Wall, utilizes rammed earth and eucalyptus branches to illustrate simulated layers of earthen materials as an art form and not as a structural material.

Andy Goldsworthy with an installation in San Francisco, tentatively titled Earth Wall. Photograph by The Chronicle's Sam Whiting.Andy Goldsworthy, Earth Wall, 2014, Photograph by The Chronicle’s Sam Whiting. 

In order to construct this installation Goldsworthy and his team collected curved eucalyptus branches from San Francisco’s Presidio. Then they installed a sphere of branches onto a wall before the formwork for the rammed earth wall is installed.

Eucalyptus branches from the Presidio installed before the formwork for the rammed earth wall is installed.

After which, a shutter formwork was constructed in front of the wall. Then locally sourced Presidio earth mixed is poured into the forms, and ramming begins. Rammers carefully compact earth around the twisted ball of  Eucalyptus branches. Once poured, the formwork is removed revealing a freshly packed rammed earth wall and the center point of the ball of gnarled eucalyptus branches.

Artist Andy Goldsworthy poses with the installation before beginning to dig out the earth surrounding the encased eucalyptus wood.

Once hardened, Goldsworthy excavates the rammed earth from around the gnarled eucalyptus wood.

Artist Andy Goldsworthy excavates the rammed earth from around the gnarled eucalyptus wood.

For a more detailed visualization view this video. 

Andy Goldsworthy continues exploring the relationship between art and the natural environment. His ability to become attuned to his environment mentally, physically, and emotionally, creates a unique perspective of the human  and natural world.

“We often forget that WE ARE NATURE. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we’ve lost our connection to ourselves.”

– Andy Goldsworthy

A family walking near Andy Goldsworthy’s Wood Line, with a bicycle in the foreground.

Andy Goldsworthy, “Wood Line“, 2011, Photograph by  Brian Vahey.

 

References:

 

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Swoon

This Earth-inspired project by Tres Birds Workshop is a 7,000 sf private artist’s residency that uses 100% renewable resources, demonstrating fossil-free potential of the built environment. Four vertical geothermal wells were installed to transfer the Earth’s energy to the building’s heating and cooling system. A solar electric roof on the carport generates energy for interior LED lighting and electricity. To test the energy efficiency of the structure, a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) was performed, ranking it in the 74th percentile and exceeding code requirements by three times.

The structure was built using 200 tons of rammed Earth, a composite of regional dirt and pigments, compressed into 30” thick walls. This adds significant thermal mass to the building’s whole, optimal for temperature regulation. Bearing the structural load, these dense walls allow the space to exist free from obstructions, ideal for a simplified interior and exhibiting artwork.

More information at tresbirds.com/SWOON

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Ricola Herb Centre

The Ricola Herb Centre in Laufen (Basel), Switzerland was designed in 2012 by renowned architects Herzog & de Mueron with a facade constructed by master clay builder Martin Rauch, the building is a high-volume long building with flat roof and façade built using the rammed earth. Façade elements made of compacted local clay sourced from the Laufen valley will form Europe’s largest loam building by 2014. From spring 2014, Ricola’s herb processing activities will be entirely carried out at a single location. Distinctive features of the brand new production building are high energy efficiency and state-of-the-art green building principles.

The new building reveals many aspects of Ricola’s strong commitment to its production location in Switzerland and at home in Laufen. Its self-appointed high goals for ecology and sustainability are consistently pursued: Logistics efficiency and the sensible use of resources are at the forefront for this project. The new building will be completely constructed using loam sourced from the Laufen valley. Lehm Ton Erde Baukunst GmbH (LTE), a specialist company based in the Vorarlberg alpine region in Switzerland, manufactures the prefabricated façade elements. Production is housed in a temporary hall in the neighboring town of Zwingen where LTE practices a newly developed procedure. No elements are used other than natural and organic earth from Laufen.

More information at: [ www.lehmtonerde.at/en/projects/project.php?pID=87 | www.ricola.com/en-ch/Meta/Media/Press-releases/Ricola-Herb-Center ]