Earthships

Like traditional adobe houses, Earthships take advantage of the great “thermal mass” of an earthen structure, which slows both heat loss and heat gain. But unlike them, they can be built to withstand virtually any climate. And they also allow the re-use of conventional “waste” products like cans, bottles, and rubber tires.

The Earthship, in case you’re not familiar with it, is the brainchild of Michael Reynolds, and was made somewhat famous when the actor Dennis Weaver (“McCloud” from the 1970’s television show) had an impressive one built for himself.

The fundamental “building block” of the Earthship is a used rubber tire whose opening has been filled with rammed earth. This extremely solid “brick” is then covered over with adobe and need never be seen. Or substitutes like concrete blocks can be used in lieu of the tires. Also embedded in the walls can be cans and bottles, the latter fulfilling a function similar to that of glass blocks in regular construction, but adding more interest due to the colors of the bottles, whose ends may be left to protrude slightly out of the adobe.

The houses themselves have a pleasingly organic appearance, with smooth, curving lines. They feature indoor gardens bathed in sunlight, generally filled with tropical plants like bananas, which are watered by “greywater” that would otherwise be discarded.

Check them out at Earthship Biotecture.

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