Habitat for Humanity Rammed Earth residence
The Rammed Earth house was built for Habitat for Humanity Tucson during 2001-2002. It was designed by a U of A School of Architecture Capstone student, developed and permitted by Professor Mary Hardin, and built by SOA students. The environmental concept for this house is two rammed earth “bookends” that provide thermal mass and temperature leveling for the central public space that is framed and insulated. The east and west thermal masses help to regulate the temperature swings through the diurnal cycle in the desert. The central space, built of light gage steel with insulation and steel panel sheathing, allows multiple framed openings for entry, exit, light, and ventilation. It is protected from the worst solar exposures, and has only north and south openings, which can be fully protected from solar gain in summer as well as open to it in the winter.
This four-bedroom, two-bathroom house (1340 square feet) was designed for a family of eight. It was completed in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Tucson, who funded the project and did the drywall, cabinets, and trim.
Unfortunately, Habitat also deployed a painting crew without consulting the U of A partners and coated the exterior rammed earth and concrete with a coat of green paint.
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