Around one third of all the buildings in the world are made from earth and clay, however in construction-happy Norway we have forgotten the existence of these materials. This is something two architecture students would like to do something about.
Katarina Kierulf and Alvar Elias Ekhougen Larsen found it strange that their degree at the Bergen School of Architecture hardly touched on raw earth and clay. They therefore held a course for 20 of their fellow students where they dug out clay from a local construction site. The clay was then used in exploring building techniques such as rammed earth, clay plaster and adobe.
The results were so encouraging that Kierulf and Larsen decided to delve deeper into the topic. They talked to experts and gathered data on earth and clay in Norway from architectural, geological and historical perspectives.
Photo: Katarina Kierulf
A knowledge centre for earth houses
In their dissertation they conclude that three elements need to be in place before earth and clay can be used as building material on a large scale: storage sites, production sites and a site where knowledge about earth and clay can be gathered and developed.
The architecture students therefore propose establishing an earth house centre, linked to the existing academic and research environment at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences at Ås. Here there is easy access to several million metric tons of earth waste excavated from big development projects in Eastern Norway. This can be used to make marketable products for the construction industry.
Photo: Katarina Kierulf
In addition, several of the best professionals in the country are already located in this area. The centre therefore has the potential to become an active meeting-place and a hub for skills and expertise from day one.
The centre would of course be built from raw earth and clay. Kierulf and Larsen propose having the building constructed, for a large part, through course participation and voluntary effort, and feel this will give the specialist disciplines valuable practical experience of the traditional and eco-friendly materials.
Brief facts about the project
Raw Earth: A diploma dissertation revitalising clay as a building material
By: Alvar Elias Ekhougen Larsen and Katarina Kierulf, Master of architecture, Bergen School of Architecture
Design disciplines: Architecture, Heritage and conservation, Design research
Recipient of the DOGA Award
This project has received the DOGA Award for Design and Architecture for its outstanding qualities and for showing how strategic use of design and architecture create important social, environmental and economic value.
These are three reasons why this is an exemplary project:
- Disseminates knowledge of a forgotten resource
The construction industry every year creates many millions of tons of earth waste. Raw Earth want to increase the knowledge around this resource and use it as a building material.
- An eco-friendly building material
Used as building materials, earth and clay do not need to be burnt or chemically altered and will therefore save energy. They can also be re-used or returned to nature. If clay is used as construction material instead of ending up as fill or waste it will clearly have economic benefit.
- Healthy indoor environment
Clay and earth have the potential to provide a good, healthy indoor environment. Clay regulates moisture, which means it absorbs moisture from the air when it is above a certain level and releases moisture in dry conditions. This creates healthy air, which is beneficial to people with asthma and allergies. Many other construction materials emit formaldehyde, allergens or other toxins.
