Earth Bag (Hyper-Adobe) House by Earthen Hand

An educational, narrated time lapse of a natural earthen house building process explaining the techniques used. The hyper-adobe / earth bag house has a living roof and uses passive annual heat storage (PAHS) to provide a comfortable temperature year round. The video covers the basics of laying hyper-adobe (rammed earth) bags. See EarthenHand.com for more information, workshops, consulting, or coaching.
Building this house took two whole summers and was achieved with the help of many students participating in several Earthen Hand workshops.

[@j.mcmahon5828]

I love the use of recycled windows and transparent stones. It would be cool to tour this structure after its completion.

[@earthnhand]

I agree. Let's do it!

[@chadfortman8098]

Cute little earthbag home

[@MitchBast-xu7jg]

Fire proof, probably bullet proof as well

[@noahelhardt5589]

Thanks for sharing! Why did you choose to use mesh bags, rather than a continuous tube?

[@earthnhand]

Thanks, Noah! I find the individual bags easier and faster to lay. With a good running bond and the bamboo pins we put it, I believe this building is super strong. The bags should be thought of only as a temporary containment for the rammed earth mix.

[@earthnhand]

The hyperadobe method is more similar to adobe than superadobe. With dry weather, I enjoy it more than superadobe and it's faster than Cob.

[@Rhinoch8]

Why using gravel foundation if the earthberm acts as a giant moisture bridge?

[@earthnhand]

It could. But I don't think it does. We use gravel to make a barrier against vertical water movement up into the bottom of the wall. The amount of water moving up into the wall through the berm is negligible because the berm is covered by plastic that slopes to drain 20 ft out from the wall and is covered by more soil.