Awhi farm : Construction : Earth house reinforcing

Javier (the Spanish architect) has calculated that the older earth bag structure will have problems supporting the weight of the dome so we are having to add reinforcing pillars to the buttress structures.
The original structure has been abandoned for a while and has been decaying. The plastic weave bags that are filled with packed earth are splitting.

Much of the buttress needs to be re-built
Gravel foundations

The buttress structures were designed with curves, which doesn’t strike me as a structurally as sound as building them out in a straight line, out from the curved wall of the building.

The buttress are made from piling up plastic mesh bags full of compacted earth. The bags are held in place by gravity and a loop of barbed wire. Barbed wire is a total pain to work with. We had to wear gloves and were constantly in danger of being spiked by the strands which want to spring back up.

Part of the international workforce
Building the formwork


We are using this steel pipe as reinforcing inside pillars
Building formwork
Pouring concrete



Comments

You also might like...

Hostel : Glasgow : Night moves

Grape update: Jan

Whale holiday (part three)

Easter in Melbourne

From Christchurch I had to ‘high tail’ it...