The Rammed Earth House

REDISCOVERING THE MOST ANCIENT BUILDING MATERIAL

The Rammed Earth House is an eye-opening example of how the most dramatic innovations in home design and construction frequently have their origins in the distant past. By rediscovering the most ancient of all building materials -- earth -- forward-thinking homebuilders can now create structures that set new standards for beauty, durability, and efficient use of natural resources.

Rammed earth construction is a step forward into a sustainable future, when homes will combine pleasing aesthetics and intense practicality with a powerful sense of place. Rammed earth homes are built entirely on-site, using basic elements—earth, water, and a little cement. The solid masonry walls permit design flexibility while providing year-round comfort and minimal use of energy. The builder and resident of a rammed earth house will experience the deep satisfaction of creating permanence in a world dominated by the disposable.

About the Author

David Easton is the founder, along with Cynthia Wright, of Rammed Earth Works (REW Associates), a firm that over the past thirty years has designed and built more than 100 residential and commercial rammed earth structures around the world. They live in Napa, California.