This project is almost complete; just the landscape to go

Details

Location; Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia
Client; An Australian based in Tokyo
Builder; BDH Constructions
Material; Rammed Earth, Concrete, Glass, Steel
Property; Secluded 100 acres of pristine bush land adjoining the National Park with extensive views of the ocean. Protected wilderness with known endangered flora and fauna. No trees were cleared.
House; Four bedrooms two bath rooms, open kitchen, dining & living + cellar


Concept

A discrete insertion into the landscape, a journey of gradual and layered concealment and opening of the landscape and ocean; Contrasting contraction and expansion, heavy and light, opaque and transparent….inside-outside-inside; pure geometry and detailing to create a stillness, a dematerialising interconnection with nature, landscape and the passing of time. Place and present.

Energy

Mains power connections (4.5km underground connection)- the aim for a remote area power system was not suitable due to a reliance on Diesel generation in winter and the risk of fungal infection (potential to wipe out vegetation) carried by the trucks (dirt in tyres from farms) delivering fuel + the unsuitability for wind generation

Water & waste

Rainwater collected and stored in tanks (For all drinking, ablution and fire fighting requirements)
Waste water treated on site- aerobic biological and sand filtering (150m 900mm deep trenches) zero chemical and power input

Site marked with red box.

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1.

2.

3.

View

The trucks traveled a winding 1.5 hours to reach 4km of dirt track to the site

Despite the clear sky; it hailed after the crew left and caused damage to the surface which was planned initially as the finish. The weather forecast predicted this....

...

Form work set up

First few walls- still very wet. The forms stay on over night and are taken off in the morning

The 'dirt' (An engineered mix with gravel, fines and a small percentage of cement mix with water by a bobcat)- shoveled in 4 layers per 600mm high form

The each layer is compacted with a pneumatic 'rammer' very hard work :clap:

The forms are fixed on top of each other. The wall is monolithic and is built in lengths not exceeding 5m, 300mm wide to the desired height. Electrical conduit and plumbing is built in necessitating very accurate coordination of trades.

The form lines and bolt holes remain visible. The wave like lines are from each 'ram'. The earth is compressed in 4 layers per 'lift' (form height)

The walls reflect the light...still yet to dry out

The roof structure is made from steel with engineered timber (LVL) bolted to welded cleats. The steel tie down rods are Chem set into the walls 600mm deep.

Roof detail.

The steel square hollow sections (SHS 75mm) were sleeved into the stubs cast into the slab and sanded by hand.

The double sided jetmaster fireplace was built into laser cut 10mm thick steel joinery. This was craned in place along with the structural steel. There is a double skin around the fire box filled with blue metal (stone) for thermal mass. Weight; 2.5t. Finish standard black fire paint.

Standard colourbond trapezoid section was used at minimum pitch. Roof purlins were laser set to form the maximum radius. The insulation is 2x R2.5 batts with double sided reflective foil both sides.

roof

The frames were rebated on all sides.

The rear court was designed to be a protected place out of the wind- with the view visible through the house

Plaster work- detailed with a shadow line butted to the walls...plasterers very unhappy with this as the walls are not 100% accurate (The nature of rammed earth)

Moving towards completion- view approaching entrance. The track to the site was diverted (5 hrs is the rain marking out to avoid trees) so when you arrive the view is concealed. The entrance walk is very narrow and dark. The idea was to have a transition from a long drive and draw the mind into the present- slow down in order to see

morning light

The rebate will be filled with a fine dark gravel as will the approach aligning with the interal FFL

Once the landscape is reinstated the house will disappear into the natural setting.

Looking from NNE. The fill has been pushed back around the house, though still more required. The re planting will consist of indigenous grasses and ground covers.

View from NNE

Bath court with outdoor shower

Looking through NNE corner of living room

Autumn afternoon light. The free standing wall is what is presented on entering- a glimpse of ocean draws you into the space...expanding to the full expanse of ocean

....

....Thanks Takeshi for the help with the images

Thanks Pitrak for the straightened image

...

project seems to be coming together nicely, would have been a fun site to work on the view is unreal!

From court...

...

Slot windows facing East

Nicholas, congratulations for your work! :craqueur:
I love the way you took us through the construction process of the house, and how it discretely sits within such an overwhelming landscape.
Your use of materials is very expressive and honest to their nature, something I like very much.
The apparent simplicity of the house seems to be deceiving, as you have some very subtle details giving it complexity (like the recess in the walls for the window frames, and I'm sure there's more - it would be great to see them).
If possible, please edit your posts and replace the pictures with larger ones when you can. It's a pity not having them all in the biggest possible size!

congrats nicolas ... really enjoyed the process. can you give me more details of your rammed earth construction ... ingrediants, mix proportions et al...

A really beautiful work. Congratulations.
So how long did it take you guys to get to this point?
Do you guys do rammed earth construction often?
How about the constructors...Are they specializing on this?
Yes I'd like to know more about this earth-packing process.
Is the dirt from the site? Many many quetions...

You and Melvyn work together? Didn't know.

An outstanding project.

How well does the rammed earth perform in that climate.

It must be terrible having to work with a site like that. :D (I'm jealous)

an excellent post we need more like this .....

Nicholas, congratulations for your work! :craqueur:
I love the way you took us through the construction process of the house, and how it discretely sits within such an overwhelming landscape.
Your use of materials is very expressive and honest to their nature, something I like very much.
The apparent simplicity of the house seems to be deceiving, as you have some very subtle details giving it complexity (like the recess in the walls for the window frames, and I'm sure there's more - it would be great to see them).
If possible, please edit your posts and replace the pictures with larger ones when you can. It's a pity not having them all in the biggest possible size!

Thank you for your succinct description- details to come...I will search through the mountain of sketches, drawings and photos to find something of use. (Photos to be adjusted soon...)

congrats nicolas ... really enjoyed the process. can you give me more details of your rammed earth construction ... ingrediants, mix proportions et al...

Maybe a tute on rammed earth is needed?

A really beautiful work. Congratulations.
So how long did it take you guys to get to this point?
Do you guys do rammed earth construction often?
How about the constructors...Are they specializing on this?
Yes I'd like to know more about this earth-packing process.
Is the dirt from the site? Many many quetions...

You and Melvyn work together? Didn't know.

Thank you.

(Forever); or hundreds and thousands of drawings and emails. Not long really...
I am in love with the material- sometimes I find it hard to go pass...
The sub contractors only build rammed earth- the main contractor had limited experience though has a very quick uptake of information
The dirt is not from the site as sand is not suitable; though from the closest possible place...

Great thread! Love all the process shots! Thanks for sharing this one with us.:cheers:

An outstanding project.

How well does the rammed earth perform in that climate.

It must be terrible having to work with a site like that. :D (I'm jealous)

Perfect for the climate as due to the proximity to the ocean (The ocean ameliorates the temperature- 5km inland the temperature is up to 9 degrees c colder) the lowest temperature does not generally get below 12 degrees C (Rammed earth has problems in cold climates due to low insulation)- the thermal mass keeps a stable temperature through extremes of daytime peaks (& troughs).

The site gets better each visit (& there have been many); though my dreams of surfing were curtailed by long meetings....all trades commented on working there in a very positive way

nicholas-
Congratulations!:craqueur:

Beautiful house. And thanks for sharing. :)

Shot 19 is interesting to me. Seems very light weight construction and very shallow. Is there a need to vent this roof space or add insulation?

nicholas-
Congratulations!:craqueur:

Beautiful house. And thanks for sharing. :)

Shot 23 is interesting to me. Seems very light weight construction and very shallow. Is there a need to vent this roof space or add insulation?

Thank you-

The roof is as shallow as practically possible (thick section shown over bedrooms); the climate is probably more benign than most of you are acclimatised. Insulation is 2 x R2.5 Batts with double sided reflective foil both sides. Condensation not a major issue so ventilation is minimal through the edges.

Awesome project and great set of construction pictures man!
I really like the approach of the design and respect for the natural landscape. Was there ever a stage in the design where it was raised off the ground(even slightly) with a suspended floor of some sort or was it always grounded on a concrete base? Just think that with all the ways the design addresses ecological sensitivity, it would have been nice to raise it off the ground and disturb the ground and existing vegetation much less...anyway just my banter;)
Nice project, thanks for sharing mate.:craqueur:

Awesome project and great set of construction pictures man!
I really like the approach of the design and respect for the natural landscape. Was there ever a stage in the design where it was raised off the ground(even slightly) with a suspended floor of some sort or was it always grounded on a concrete base? Just think that with all the ways the design addresses ecological sensitivity, it would have been nice to raise it off the ground and disturb the ground and existing vegetation much less...anyway just my banter;)
Nice project, thanks for sharing mate.:craqueur:

Thank you Badja- the house is slab on ground...the geotech bored to 11m and it was still sand (though changed to a deeper colour). The issue was height- keeping the roof below the manna gums so it disappears in the landscape and fire- the area has a very high risk of bush fire. Earth movement was minimal as was clearing of vegetation- the house was sited in an existing clearing (no trees were cleared)

Yeah I figured the issue would be with height and keeping it hidden in the surrounding vegetation and the fact that it is sited on an existing clearing is even better! Good work mate;)

:craqueur: :not worth :craqueur: Maybe a tute on rammed earth is needed?

PLEASE....

CONGRATS GREAT WORK!:craqueur:

What's so great about this house? Im not saying it isnt great (I could do much worse im sure). But what I like about this house... sorry the project is really the site and surroundings. The "shot of the day" is beautiful, but the house is almost invisible in that image. So why is this better than the house in this thread?: http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums//showthread.php?t=5919

Is it because of the style with lots of glass and concrete and simple form?

I like this house better but I dont have any good reasons why I think so. :confused:

And please post better and bigger images.

Rammed Earth Construction :

RammedEarth1 (http://www.rammedearth.com/about/about.html)

RammedEarth2 (http://www.rammedearthworks.com/home.html)

Just two websites I have come across recently whilst doing some research of my own. Thought I would share here...:)

The next shots are small; I will update when I work out how to covert the 12mb tiffs
Picasa's "export" tool will do it in one shot. "Export" (set the desired size)..Bang!
Irfan does it by two steps, "resize" then "save as JPEG".
Both software are free.

EDIT: nicholas sent me the original files and I found they are actually RAW files,
tiff files are attached to raw only as thumbnails.
Now he needs some RAW-developing software for canon RAW (.cr2 files).

Nicholas, nice project - fantastic site. The beaty of te house lies in many parts - simplicity, sustainability, detailing and setting to be sure.

Did I red correctly that the window frames were rebated into walls? Presumably by a wall cut/rebate after forms are removed. or did I mis-red it.

Did you have major planning issues? (I know a little of the locality and people you may have had to deal with)

The process photo method as said by imasayer, is a great method - we should do it more/see it more often!

What's so great about this house? Im not saying it isnt great (I could do much worse im sure).
When I write comments on any works posted on the forum, my focus is mostly on:

1. validity and coherence of the idea
2. how the idea is executed in real space (read through photographs..)

I had no trouble following nicolas' intentions and thought process from his explanations here,
and I thought they are valid for this site and given functions. (my only wish is
if the dirt came from the site... I wouldn't mind sending my autograph to nicolas!:D )
I also appreciated his pick of construction method despite much more hard work foreseen than usual.
From photographs, I could tell his architectural language and detailings evolved from chosen materials and constructions.
Are they original? copied? stolen? I wouldn't know + don't care but I see they fit together.
"lots of glass and concrete (you forgot to mention rammed earth!) and simple form" don't bother me in this case.
Guess it was at least a better choice than Roman arches and pseud brick works following his ideas...
sorry the project is really the site and surroundings. The "shot of the day" is beautiful, but the house is almost invisible in that image.
Isn't that a compliment in this case?

takesh - you are absolutely correct - it took me only a few minutes to look through the series of posts, understand the project, the site techniques etc - and then decide to return and read more slowly.

A very interesting lesson about how to post, as well as a story about the project

View from NNE

Nicholas well done and thanks for sharing here. Good luck with resizing those tiffs, should be pretty easy...

I think the plan is very interesting: exudes boldness and confidence, the entrance in particular is great. I love the overall low levelness of the house and the interior is well thought out. I really think it fits well your idea:
a journey of gradual and layered concealment and opening of the landscape and ocean; Contrasting contraction and expansion, heavy and light, opaque and transparent….inside-outside-inside

My one niggle is to do with the relationship betwen roof and walls in some fo the external spaces, the stepping in and out of the roof overhang makes for one or two slightly uneasy relationships, this is especially clear in the view from NNE and the view out from the living room to the NNE post #32 and #34. I think a monodepth overhang would have been better - made the roof dissapear from our focus which is I guess you intention?

What is the proposal for dealing with bush fires? (sounds worrying) I saw in your other house a plunge pool which was also the fire fighting reserve, was that considered here?

Overall though the house is great and the construction photos are really helpful and fascinating. I would like to add to the list of requests (higher res images and rammed earth tutorial) I'd like to know more about the polished concrete kitchen (we talked about that on another thread), your sliding door details (again from before), and what remedial work you did on the hail-stoned concrete floor.

:craqueur:

Isn't that a compliment in this case?

Yes, but that wasnt my point. The point was that the niceness of that image has nothing to do with the house , but more about nature.

Yes, but that wasnt my point. The point was that the niceness of that image has nothing to do with the house , but more about nature.
but he said his intention is to hide the house in surroundings, rather than to stand out from it.
He wishes the house to eventually disappear in the nature, doesnt he?:wondering

Nicholas, nice project - fantastic site. The beaty of te house lies in many parts - simplicity, sustainability, detailing and setting to be sure.

Did I red correctly that the window frames were rebated into walls? Presumably by a wall cut/rebate after forms are removed. or did I mis-red it.

Did you have major planning issues? (I know a little of the locality and people you may have had to deal with)


Thank you for your comments; the rebates were recessed in the form work (blocks of timber)- cutting the rebates out doesn't work well as the edges often crumble.

The planning was reasonable for the area- just alot of information required and quite time consuming...one complaint from the significant landholder in the area was withdrawn after a cup of tea.

The biggest issue was finding the appropriate builder.

What's so great about this house? Im not saying it isnt great (I could do much worse im sure). But what I like about this house... sorry the project is really the site and surroundings. The "shot of the day" is beautiful, but the house is almost invisible in that image. So why is this better than the house in this thread?: http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums//showthread.php?t=5919

Is it because of the style with lots of glass and concrete and simple form?

I like this house better but I dont have any good reasons why I think so. :confused:

And please post better and bigger images.

You are right about the surroundings; a very beautiful sight. My aim for the house was to be subservient and quiet in relationship to the landscape both from outside and inside (Public & private). Have a close look at the plan- the simplicity is a result of a complexity and distillation.

A few images have been updated; more to come

Nicholas well done and thanks for sharing here. Good luck with resizing those tiffs, should be pretty easy...

I think the plan is very interesting: exudes boldness and confidence, the entrance in particular is great. I love the overall low levelness of the house and the interior is well thought out. I really think it fits well your idea:
a journey of gradual and layered concealment and opening of the landscape and ocean; Contrasting contraction and expansion, heavy and light, opaque and transparent….inside-outside-inside

My one niggle is to do with the relationship betwen roof and walls in some fo the external spaces, the stepping in and out of the roof overhang makes for one or two slightly uneasy relationships, this is especially clear in the view from NNE and the view out from the living room to the NNE post #32 and #34. I think a monodepth overhang would have been better - made the roof dissapear from our focus which is I guess you intention?

What is the proposal for dealing with bush fires? (sounds worrying) I saw in your other house a plunge pool which was also the fire fighting reserve, was that considered here?

Overall though the house is great and the construction photos are really helpful and fascinating. I would like to add to the list of requests (higher res images and rammed earth tutorial) I'd like to know more about the polished concrete kitchen (we talked about that on another thread), your sliding door details (again from before), and what remedial work you did on the hail-stoned concrete floor.

:craqueur:

Thank you for your comments gorgon- the idea for the roof was the taper at the edges is consistent throughout the perimeter (including the windowless ends); the reason was to channel the water flow back to the down pipes without having any part of the roof shedding the water. (Rain water collection is crucial for the functionality). The other idea was to try and reduce the bulk of the edges at the thick section over the beds. The roof form was limited by the steel structure needing to be flat and water shedding/collection issues. In the end a compromise hoping to balance all of the parts.

Bush fires are an issue- water storage, materials, detailing and fuel reduction. Often this is solved by clearing a 60m radius around the house making the house clearly visible for miles...the fire regulations take precedent over conservation regulations

The kitchen in this project is standard Ceaser stone (I will get back to the concrete eventually in another thread). I will look for some close up details for the doors. The concrete floor had a self leveling screed applied it worked very well as the frame/floor and floor/floor junctions are dead level (image below)

Screed level with frames etc

It's attention to details in planning, materials, construction resulting in simplicity. :cheers:

Nicholas, congratulations on a great piece of architecture :craqueur:
I guess we're all invited to the opening party??

I love the geometry and human scale created by the 60cm stripes of rammed earth.
The 30cm stripe of glass in #26 suggests you used this as your base measure?
Is there an overall geometric / proportional scheme? I'ld like to hear more about that.

Any chance to post a better scan of the plan?
It's kinda hard to read now. Or a skp?

Plaster work- detailed with a shadow line butted to the walls...
plasterers very unhappy with this as the walls are not 100% accurate

I don't understand the plaster work remark as I can't see any plaster on the picture there.
Will the rammed earth walls be plastered allover?
In that case, forget my remark about the nice stripes :rolleyes:

Looking forward to see more as the project evolves. Good luck!

but he said his intention is to hide the house in surroundings, rather than to stand out from it.
He wishes the house to eventually disappear in the nature, doesnt he?:wondering

Yes, but does it really do that? I mean in the "shot of the day" image the house is in darkness so you cant see it, but that's not so much because of the house itself. In shot #32 I cant see the house blending in much really. Can you?

-My two cents--I think the point is, arrestme, that the simple and elegent form of the house does not detract from the surroundings, we are aware of it but it doesnt force us to look at it at the expense of the surroundings. Of course it is visible but it respects the landscape far more than the house you mentioned on your earlier post could ever do.

The house will not "disappear" rather as nature embraces the house it shall become part of the landscape, a form in itself but at one with its surroundings.

In any case, I'd be happy to look at this house all day, its fantanstic.

Well done Nicholas!

Nicholas, congratulations on a great piece of architecture :craqueur:
I guess we're all invited to the opening party??

I love the geometry and human scale created by the 60cm stripes of rammed earth.
The 30cm stripe of glass in #26 suggests you used this as your base measure?
Is there an overall geometric / proportional scheme? I'ld like to hear more about that.

Any chance to post a better scan of the plan?
It's kinda hard to read now. Or a skp?



I don't understand the plaster work remark as I can't see any plaster on the picture there.
Will the rammed earth walls be plastered allover?
In that case, forget my remark about the nice stripes :rolleyes:

Looking forward to see more as the project evolves. Good luck!

I don't have any relationship to culture as to use a tatami mat (or something else) for scale and proportion; I have worked with this material with my hands and found a relationship with it- the 600mm proportion is represented in almost the whole house as a multiple or division...simplistic- though for me it works (900mm high benches- 2700mm floor to ceiling)- part of the idea of stillness.

By plaster work I mean the gyproc (sheet material) ceiling..a colloquial term in Australia. The walls remain monolithic. (& shudder at that thought!)

Thank you for your comment and insight :cheers:

-My two cents--I think the point is, arrestme, that the simple and elegent form of the house does not detract from the surroundings, we are aware of it but it doesnt force us to look at it at the expense of the surroundings. Of course it is visible but it respects the landscape far more than the house you mentioned on your earlier post could ever do.

The house will not "disappear" rather as nature embraces the house it shall become part of the landscape, a form in itself but at one with its surroundings.

In any case, I'd be happy to look at this house all day, its fantanstic.

Well done Nicholas!

Thanks superjim- you have described the form and relationship better than I could; the inevitability of a built form in that location (contrasting with leaving the site untouched)- required a quiet and strong presence.

GREAT post there are a lot of interesting details in yours photos. Like the "flush sill and head" frames at the sliding doors.

-My two cents--I think the point is, arrestme, that the simple and elegent form of the house does not detract from the surroundings, we are aware of it but it doesnt force us to look at it at the expense of the surroundings. Of course it is visible but it respects the landscape far more than the house you mentioned on your earlier post could ever do.

The house will not "disappear" rather as nature embraces the house it shall become part of the landscape, a form in itself but at one with its surroundings.

In any case, I'd be happy to look at this house all day, its fantanstic.

Well done Nicholas!

I wasnt pointing at that other house as my defenition of good architecture. I just used is as an example because of the "slaying" it got vs. the praise this project got. Sometimes I think architects use too big words and phrases they dont even understand themselves, when they really just prefer one "style" over the other. Not that I think thats wrong or anything.

nicholas,

fantastic job! i must say you almost couldn't go wrong with the site, but you obviously had a great sensitivity to the environment, and the way to build on this site. i'm usually a bit of a "less is a bore" kind of guy, but creating this type of minimalist 'fish bowl' from which to look out to nature is quite fitting. :clap:

the minimalist detailing of the rammed earth/window and door junctions is impeccable - especially considering that it is indeed rammed earth and not in situ concrete.

i must say i'm a bit less convinced by the roof form and the overhangs. i think the curve might be a bit too slight, and i might've liked to see a bit more development there. i'm also curious about the eave detailing. i can see you have a gutter/catchment there of some sort, but confused about profile, etc.

great thread! thanks for showing us such great documentation of the construction...

cheers!

:cheers:

p.s. looks like a great place to spend a holiday - especially after the 24 hour plane ride to get there. :)

Great job!!!
A question bout the rammed earth walls. Although I have some info on this kind of building material and use I have never seen/touched one. After finishing is it soft or hard - limestone->concrete. How does it behave while exposed to rain? Drilling? I assume it is not good for seizmic active areas as there is no reinforcement in. Does the sub zero climate destroy it?

Nicolas, you da man!

Great stuff all round! A few questions though!

1. Was grinding of the damaged concrete surface considered and dismissed?
2. I haven't seen any tanking for water storage is that subfloor?
3. Often dense bushland in Oz is riddled with mozzies and results in the need for fly screens, are these incorporated?
4. Is there reason the ocean facing deck is so narrow?
5. The stepping stones to the courtyard, are they cast insitu?
6. Did you consider the cyclic wind loading on the larger windows causing future issues with their placement / fixing in the rammed earth?
7. Was there any concerns with the concrete being delivered over such long distances? Did the delivery require additional water to be added to maintain plasticity?
8. As someone else asked is the rammed earth sourced on site (couldn't find your reply)?
9. How high is the front deck off the ground? Is a balutrading required?

And finally!

10. Can I have your children?

Really nice project mate! To me it seems you have considered all conditions well! Five stars for me all the way!

Cheers, Richard.

Really wanted to give you some rep for this but seems I've got to spread the love around!

Great job!!!
A question bout the rammed earth walls. Although I have some info on this kind of building material and use I have never seen/touched one. After finishing is it soft or hard - limestone->concrete. How does it behave while exposed to rain? Drilling? I assume it is not good for seizmic active areas as there is no reinforcement in. Does the sub zero climate destroy it?

Thanks Doko2

Finish hardness depends on the mix used (Limestone mixes the hardest)- generally a weak concrete approx 4mpa. Rain exposure is not an issue (cement content)- drilling is hard work, may cause damage on the wall surface if you hit aggregate and it breaks off. It can be design for seismic areas...it is reinforced though this has to be done carefully to avoid cracking (In this instance starter rods 900mm high). Are you referring to cracking caused by freezing moisture? (No experience here)- Rammed earth is less suitable in very cold climates due to low R value; however it can be used very effectively as internal walls and will give quality in many ways- or clad and insulated externally.

I'm surprised that it has a low R value - I assumed it would have been high, what sort of R value are we talking about?

Nicolas, you da man!

Great stuff all round! A few questions though!

1. Was grinding of the damaged concrete surface considered and dismissed?
2. I haven't seen any tanking for water storage is that subfloor?
3. Often dense bushland in Oz is riddled with mozzies and results in the need for fly screens, are these incorporated?
4. Is there reason the ocean facing deck is so narrow?
5. The stepping stones to the courtyard, are they cast insitu?
6. Did you consider the cyclic wind loading on the larger windows causing future issues with their placement / fixing in the rammed earth?
7. Was there any concerns with the concrete being delivered over such long distances? Did the delivery require additional water to be added to maintain plasticity?
8. As someone else asked is the rammed earth sourced on site (couldn't find your reply)?
9. How high is the front deck off the ground? Is a balutrading required?

And finally!

10. Can I have your children?

Really nice project mate! To me it seems you have considered all conditions well! Five stars for me all the way!

Cheers, Richard.

Really wanted to give you some rep for this but seems I've got to spread the love around!

Thank you Richard- good questions...

1. Yes- some areas were beyond grinding. This was actually fortuitous as the final result was superior to the intended.
2. Initially the tanks were designed under the court; though the budget dictated that they were tucked into the bush down the slope on the north side (will track down an image). 2 x 20000l + tanks on the shed 120m away. (Rain filled wthin a month of installation)
3. Fly screens are on (Shown in some of the images); also required for bush fire compliance (To prevent ember infiltration)- no shortage of insects down there!
4. 2400mm deep- any more and it gets very steep.
5. Yes; a fine gravel to be filled around + on the court
6. The tempered glass is very thick- the rebates provided a more secure fixing + frames reinforced.
7. The mix is designed for the travel time- something the concrete yard is very experienced with. There is actually a supplier closer though this one was chosen for quality.
8. Unfortunately not- the site is entirely sand which is not suitable. Also a darker colour was desired to blend it in with the bush as much as possible.
9. Still fill required at the high point to conceal the footing. Less than a metre at the highest point, no balustrade required (600mm high on house side)
10. I will have to leave this one for you to ponder! :poke fun:

cheers

I'm surprised that it has a low R value - I assumed it would have been high, what sort of R value are we talking about?

R1.5 approx- the thermal mass is very high so it maintains a very even temperature across diurnal flux. Rammed Earth does not meet regulation based on R value though is exempt due to the thickness (300mm in this case). It can be used very effectively in passive solar design and there are some insulated versions being developed. Care needs to be taken for application in cold climates.

What a beautiful site and a house to match it.
Thank you for the construction pictures, as they help understand the building process much better.

Yep, I get it, actually , having cement as a bonding agent it should be concidered as a kind of concrete technology.

Nicholas thanks for the replies.

The concrete floor had a self leveling screed applied it worked very well as the frame/floor and floor/floor junctions are dead level (image below)

Is the self levelling screed a resin based product? It looks amazingly thin.

4. 2400mm deep- any more and it gets very steep.

Sorry I don't understand this, do you mean the fall to allow water to run off? or is this slang for expensive?

Nicholas thanks for the replies.



Is the self levelling screed a resin based product? It looks amazingly thin.



Sorry I don't understand this, do you mean the fall to allow water to run off? or is this slang for expensive?

Mapei Ultratop- designed for warehouse applications with forklift traffic etc; needs to be troweled for texture otherwise it is too even 5-10mm thick

By steep I mean the contours; the land drops off rapidly at that point

nice work done, colleague.
My questions:
How long had been your construction phase?
How much money did your building cost?
How many square metres/ prize/square metres?
I saw you made lots on your own too.
How many workers were involved?
How (fast) is the building process in your country (administrative bodies)?

nice work done, colleague.
My questions:
How long had been your construction phase?
How much money did your building cost?
How many square metres/ prize/square metres?
I saw you made lots on your own too.
How many workers were involved?
How (fast) is the building process in your country (administrative bodies)?

Thanks Han

1. 12 months- delayed by three months due to major work needed on the access track (A years worth of rain in a week and 30 25t trucks made it inaccessible)
2. The budget was very lean and the design needed to be worked on to get the cost down to start (Sorry can't give exact figures)
3. 240m sq + terrace and court
4.Sorry- not sure what you mean...please clarify
5. At most about 18....often only two
6. Can be a very protracted process; in this location About 6 months for planning permit and 2 months for building permits. he most difficult aspect was the tender process.

I love your minimal design, it looks really nice for the site.
Could you please post the floor plan for us to take a look?

BTW, rammed earth is a very nice material as thermal mass, but how about those big piece of glasses? They will lose heat pretty fast... I think it would be really cold in the house in winter.

I love your minimal design, it looks really nice for the site.
Could you please post the floor plan for us to take a look?

BTW, rammed earth is a very nice material as thermal mass, but how about those big piece of glasses? They will lose heat pretty fast... I think it would be really cold in the house in winter.


There is a faint plan on the first page- I will get something more legible there soon...

You are right about the glass; the lowest temperature does get much below 13 degrees C...so the underfloor heating and the open fire (fuel from the site) will maintain comfort

Oh man, open fire, surrounded by a stormy day, looking out to a rough sea through huge windows.... goddamn I want that house.

Oh man, open fire, surrounded by a stormy day, looking out to a rough sea through huge windows.... goddamn I want that house.
...

woo, how does the underfloor heating works?
by hot water?

nice stormy picture nicholas :D

Looking past entrance (on left)

Looking SW from between Bath 1 & Bed 2 through Living

Looking from Bed 1 to Bath 1

Terrace looking South

Kitchen/Dining

Bed 1 facing East

Looking North through Dining

Bath court

Dining- gloaming

Dining- view

Living

wow. the veil has been lifted, what a pleasure to see these images.

:not worth

image 101 is I think a key image for this house. I think you should retake it using the HDRI technique described here (http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4669&highlight=HDRI), it would be great to have that glow on the warm earth walls, the white of the living/terrace and then a visible non washed out background.

I absolutely love everything about this house. seriously

:craqueur:

wow. the veil has been lifted, what a pleasure to see these images.

:not worth

image 101 is I think a key image for this house. I think you should retake it using the HDRI technique described here (http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4669&highlight=HDRI), it would be great to have that glow on the warm earth walls, the white of the living/terrace and then a visible non washed out background.

This sequence is very powerful onsite...walking from the bedrooms and turning right and seeing the exposed cliff face, ocean edge detail at a scale that is worthy. I must admit that this perfectly framed view was a pleasant surprise!

Thank you pitrak for the HDRI image :cheers:

A Few more shots to come- the previous shots will be improved over the next few days

Bath 2; both bath rooms are very neutral- the concept is for the light, water and view to take precedent (Image updated thanks to pitrak)

All of these shots are just gorgeous! That house on that site makes a really beautiful combo. Great work, and great photos. :cheers:

wow... this is the type of project that draws a low-poster like myself out of the shadows... i'm blown away... 10 stars!

very niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice

thanks nicholas

GOD bless you

Where can I find out more about rammed earth walls? Looks interesting and I've never heard of it before. What's the difference between that and regular concrete (sand, cement, water)? Could it be used in cold climate. Are the walls treated with anything afterwards to keep them from dusting?

Thank's!

Good question arrestme. It sparked my interest as well. Here are a list of books that i found about the topic
http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/rammedearth.htm

Nicholas,

I am really amazed by this project. Superb work!

By the looks of it you managed to get that overall concept of 'being invisible and blending in the landscape' to its full extent. Not only by the transparancy, the marvelous approach and entrance area but also in the materials.
Rammed earth (probably impossible to perform in Belgian climate? ;)) suits that purpose well and makes it part of the sandy hill.

Somehow it reminds me of the wonderful 'blend in' desert buildings that Rick Joy designs.

Also the 'promenade architectural' seems to work quite well.
Very scenographic. I can imagine myself wandering through the house from view to view. In every room the view to the outside is 'framed' as a painting on its own.

Also my compliments to the Photographer and the guys that helped Nicholas to get those images 'touched up'.
Architecture like this,that lives on subtle variations and moods, is very difficult to shoot.

It is good to see a 'toned down' project like this in an age where architecture sometimes is focused too much on iconographic presence. It is easier to 'scream and stand out' to become 'starchitect' than to 'blend in'.

I am one of those suckers who believes that one can see what the 'personality profile' of the architect is, just by looking at his buildings and designs.
From what this project tells me , Nicholas seems an intelligent, pragmatic dreamer that has an empathetic eye towards people and their environment.
He is a worker and persistent towards the finest detail. And finally he isn't a show off.
Just my five cents on the person behind the design.


Thanks for sharing this project with us and keep those wonderful designs coming.

Regards,
kwistenbiebel

Excellent work! Congratulations on your magnificent project!

...Rammed earth (probably impossible to perform in Belgian climate? ;)) s...
As rammed earth has sparked some interest, here is a link (http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5724&highlight=rammed+earth) to a previous thread on the topic. Concerning your question on durability in Belgium Kwist, there is a project there by Marte+Marte (www.marte-marte.com) in Austria. I have posted it there as not to hijack this thread.

Hey Nicholas, I don't need to say more than what has already been said; you really have nailed this one!!!

You should get your builder to enter it into the HIA awards this year if you have the chance; I judge nationally and would love to see more of this type of home at the national level in march next year.
Question - the expressed glazing system; how has it been detailed? I saw a similar building recently where the external fabric was separated from the main strucure. would like to see your detailing of fabric / roof junction.

OK, i'll say it....... beautiful.

nice project, i really like the rammed earth and the sense of relation to the site that it give - the layering is really nice...
would we be able to see some concept sketches/ ieads to show how the project developed, in terms of the ideas that resulted in the final design?
well done again!

magnificat!:cheers::cheers::cheers:

lets buy sometime to talk about your project its great...i mean really cool!!!!

Nice job Nicholas, though I'd swap the white (plastic? - shock/horror!!!) socket and switch boxes for nice (expensive) metal ones maybe ;)
Though in fairness they can wait...things like the concrete and roof are much more important to get right first off :D
P.S. does the rammed earth method require many more rod-holes for the shuttering?

Can i ask what in #29 the raised platform is for.

Can i ask what in #29 the raised platform is for.

The court is oriented to protect from the S & SW winds (as seen blowing the trees in the image ); the raised platform allows a view to the ocean through the house as well as a view into a small gully the opposite direction in the bush.

court from kitchen

fire

Rammed earth (probably impossible to perform in Belgian climate?

Rammed Earth would be possible anywhere with the insertion of an insulation cavity; though to my mind it suits a climate that doesn't get too cold. This site for instance rarely gets below 13 degrees C.

I have recently (Winter in Australia) slept in the Bed 1 and Bed 4; Bed 1 is noticeably warmer due to the solid north wall absorbing solar radiation. Bed 4 was stable in temperature and not cold.

Where can I find out more about rammed earth walls? Looks interesting and I've never heard of it before. What's the difference between that and regular concrete (sand, cement, water)? Could it be used in cold climate. Are the walls treated with anything afterwards to keep them from dusting?

Thank's!

This is the company that built the walls; http://www.aseg.net/sa.htm

Rammed earth is essentially a weak concrete. (4-6mpa) The earth mix is engineered and compacted rather than poured as a wet mix and vibrated.

The walls can be insulated to suit cold climates. A homogeneous water based breathable sealer is in the mix and the same in a different form is sprayed onto the interior surface to prevent dusting.

Question - the expressed glazing system; how has it been detailed?

The glazing was rebated into the walls using a timber block in the form work during the ramming as well as in the concrete slab and ceiling aligning with the batten thickness...as always to achieve this simplicity there was alot of attention and care required by all concerned.

would we be able to see some concept sketches/ ieads to show how the project developed, in terms of the ideas that resulted in the final design?



I have archived the paper documents, though will dig some out shortly. One thing; the budget reducing process certainly helped refine the design and cut out the fat...

Nice job Nicholas, though I'd swap the white (plastic? - shock/horror!!!) socket and switch boxes for nice (expensive) metal ones maybe ;)
Though in fairness they can wait...things like the concrete and roof are much more important to get right first off :D
P.S. does the rammed earth method require many more rod-holes for the shuttering?


Of course- the form work is re-used so all of the rod holes are imprinted on the surface of the wall; bolts are required at about 900mm centres

is this a Kerry Hill project?

is this a Kerry Hill project?

This is a project from my own studio...

Nicholas has many interesting projects up his sleeves...

Leaves me breathless ..superb work

How did you arrive at that rammed earth as a material to use on this site?

What was the Client's reaction?
How much convincing did they need?

Any cost advantages at the end of the project?

The only time I've seen similar rammed earth was on a very thick internal wall in a barn structure in Torquay UK .. it had a large crack running up in the middle .. but then it was a few centuries old.

Thank you ReD

Rammed was the original choice as a muted monolithic material that would blend into the landscape- the client hadn't seen it before and after much research, liked it very much.

I explored the use of a charcoal coloured concrete block at a cost cutting stage and this due to local bricklaying costs was significantly more expensive. (A very good place to be a brick layer!)

The walls are engineered with the additional of cement and smooth starter bars to 600mm high- control joints allow for movement

The transparencies (6x7 & 6x12) are being scanned- a few images so far

(http://www.earlcarter.com.au/)

2.

3.

4.

seems a damned shame to fill it with furniture and people!

Wow, some great shots Nicholas, the 1:2 format suits it really well! :craqueur:

It's still looking better with every new angle we see it from :cheers:

Beautiful as always, Nicholas.

Nicholas fantastic. Lovely low light - I take it that's the winter sun...

is this a Kerry Hill project?

Nicholas, what a fabulous piece of architecture you have crafted. Great work.
You say it is from your studio on a tight budget. What is your studio and can you give a guesstimate of the cost per sq metre?

There are of course superficial linkages to Kerry Hill's Ooi House in Margaret River where rammed earth is a refined architectural language in the region.

interior view: (sorry can't find bigger images)
derived from
http://www.architectureaustralia.com/aa/aaissue.php?issueid=199811&article=18&typeon=2
see also http://www.eartharchitecture.org/index.php?/categories/12-AustraliaNew-Zealand
for other examples of rammed earth construction

Thank you for your comments I will come back and edit this with responses- a couple more images...

sea

court

court detail

slot

very nice
beautiful

Wow amazing!! But I think the chimney is terrible. It is like this beautifully crafted black box with an ugly aluminium tube connected to it:$

i dont mind the chimney

Beautiful beautiful project.

Really folks...with background like this any human creation submits without solution.
ARCHITECTURAL AXIOM Nº1:SURRENDING IN PRESENCE OF OUTSTANDING VIEW (LIKE SEA).
Now, is curious to see the similarity with how result the house shape (interior and exerior) located near the coast in any place in the world...reminds me a compatriot (Mathias Klotz), if you don´t know his work, check the page (mathiasklotz.com) and see (the houses) by yourself (freaking or not?)...not misunderstood me, i think that's the way in this context case, in other words, GOOD AND APPROPRIATE WORK!
One question (sorry if i seem ignorant): what is rammed earth? it's like adobe or something like that?
Keep going dude

Thanks very much for all the detailed photos and explanations, the building looks great - not orange, like lots of the rammed earth buildings and sits beautifully in the landscape.

I am actually working on a rammed earth building for my final design project at uni - I was wondering why you made your roof how you did - overhanging, instead of hidden behind a parapet, was it to protect the top of the wall, and also if you had any information about opening widths? I have read that without support (lintel) usually no more than 1m but with lintels a much greater span is possible? did you find that or is your glazing full height becasue you couldn't get the opening widths you required?

thanks very much :not worth :clap:

That is beautiful!
I'm curious (I hope you didn't already written in this post), what kind of glass did you used? Did you do a study on the performance of the house (observing the U value, the dimensions of the transparent facade and so on)? Is that required in Australia? ('cos in Italy there's now a specific decree that's prerscribe specific U value and ask to do an environmental certificate for the house's performance).

P.s. I hope i've been clear, I'm not so good in english!

Marco

Perhaps these will help:

http://www.rammedearthhomes.com/ & http://www.rammedearthhomes.com/technical.htm

http://www.eartharchitecture.org/

My blog, tagged 'rammed earth': http://materialicio.us/tag/rammed_earth

nice and very good

a fantastic scene with pretty building

Hey Nicolas I just looked through your article in this month's Monument magazine. Great work mate in getting your work shown there! Big congrats!!!

Me too Richard, have folowed this thread since its birth and love the finished product.

Nice pics too, Kevin....

Went down to the newsagent at lunch. Congratulations - The project looks really good (not as good as on PPB though)

Thank you all; there is an article in ISH and d+a (& Cavenagh house) in Singapore as well...

outstanding, should be even better now that the surrounding plants have probably regrown

Really folks...with background like this any human creation submits without solution.
ARCHITECTURAL AXIOM Nº1:SURRENDING IN PRESENCE OF OUTSTANDING VIEW (LIKE SEA).
Now, is curious to see the similarity with how result the house shape (interior and exerior) located near the coast in any place in the world...reminds me a compatriot (Mathias Klotz), if you don´t know his work, check the page (mathiasklotz.com) and see (the houses) by yourself (freaking or not?)...not misunderstood me, i think that's the way in this context case, in other words, GOOD AND APPROPRIATE WORK!
One question (sorry if i seem ignorant): what is rammed earth? it's like adobe or something like that?
Keep going dude

Thank you Gustavoarrue; I had had merely a glimpse at the work of Mathias Klotz, without even knowing who designed it. I have studied their work since and appreciate your comments very much
N

hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii gud !!!!!!!!!!!

Beautiful project thankyou for sharing... It is buildings like these that inspire in the hard times to soilder on... so thankyou so much i needed that

greats proect that u have........i like that u considered bout the landscape surround and make the building be part of the land........hhmmmm greats concept that everyone should have it...........wish i could learn more from you and the rest of great architect in here......
regard
yonaskuragi

I can see a poetic attitude between the objet and the place,
Mies would be proud!
=D

Great work!

sheer beauty...hats off:clap:

Hi nicholas, I hope you still look at this thread, it has been going a very long time. Anyway, this project has inspired me to join PPB2, I actually stumbled across it while trying to find some rammed earth details of joints, abutments between rammed earth and masonry, steel/timber, windows/doors etc. there just don't seem to be any good ones published on the net anywhere!!

Earlier in this posting you said you would include some, I am now pleading for them! One of the early construction pictures gave some clue to the junction between the roof timbers, joist hangers and the rammed earth wall and I must applaud you for the photographic documentation, it is outstanding.

P.S. A friend of mine has a house nestled in a neighbouring valley at Johanna that was built by her father shortly before he died. There is still a fair bit of second fix work to be done on the place but the essence is there and despite stylistic differences with your house the same sympathy to it's surroundings and a willingness to give everything over, to that landscape and those views, is clear. That coastline is a magically wild place and any human intervention there must be done with as lighter a tread as possible, so thank you for your understanding (your architecture).

Thank you for the comments

RivalSchool; the roof wall junction is very simple

1. UB's run across the house and pick up the columns
2. LVL's bolted to welded cleats perpendicular
3. UB's bolted to wall with minimal packing approx. 600mm deep
4. Wall ceiling junction; black painted block creates shadow line and allows FCL of 2700 without building wall higher to minimize roof thickness

Let me know what specifically you would like to know and I will help ...

A few recent images to follow....

Fantastic space Nicholas.
Love the layers of earth creating the beautiful graphic, also the fact that you have stayed true to the material is just great. It has opened up new dimensions for me. Thank you.

I'm not familiar with construction of rammed earth structures but, wouldn't it have been easier to have compacted the earth off site and then move the walls on site to be placed. (or something on the lines of that)

Laurie baker an Indian-British architect has been recognized widely for his work with bricks, lime, mud...etc. His website (http://lauriebaker.net/) is worth a peak.

Hi Nicholas, thanks for the info, all very helpful. A more specific question would be one of insulation; as I understand it, building reg's in Victoria require a minimum amount of insulation in rammed earth construction that I believe can be concealed within stabilised pise walls but I just don't get how this works without dramatically changing the properties and/or getting areas of cold bridging around the form work ties etc? All other questions I have would have to follow up from soil tests I guess. My projects integrity kind of relies on being able to use excavated earth from the site which I gather, from other projects, is a bit of a romantic notion.

P.S. Sorry it has taken me a while to reply, I have also replied to your other message. Hopefully you have some more great pics from your recent visit.

A rammed earth house!

How so refreshing. How did you get around the Planning guys. They made our life hell the last time we tried it, and they were suddenly agreeable when we mentioned concrete blocks with the funny Polystyrene insulation batts.

I cant post the result here but its one of those compromises. Never got built anyway.

Good work Nicholas

so cool,thank you.

A truly inspirational project. Very well done indeed.