The Rammed Earth House: Rediscovering the Most Ancient Building Material (Real Goods Independent Living Book) [Paperback]

David Easton (Author), David Eaton (Author), Cynthia Wright (Photographer)

Book Description

Series: Real Goods Independent Living Book | Publication Date: April 1996

Humans have been using earth as a primary building material for more than ten thousand years. Rammed earth, as practiced today, involves tamping a mixture of earth, water, and a little cement into wooden forms to create thick, sturdy masonry walls. Earthbuilt homes offer their inhabitants a powerful sense of security and well-being and have a permanence and solidity altogether lacking in so many of today's modular, pre-fab houses.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The beauty and grace of rammed earth construction is described in fascinating detail by David Easton. The photographs of different structures, both modern and ancient, by Cynthia Wright, create a breathtaking glimpse into a building technique that is as old as human history, but exactly suitable for today's resource-conscious and environmentally friendly building needs. Trees may be getting a bit scarce these days, but there's no current shortage of dirt, the main component of rammed earth homes. From such a prosaic material, gold has been spun in these timeless, graceful, and nearly indestructible homes and buildings.

Review

"David has always been a pioneer, and I'm particularly excited about his work bringing rammed earth as an appropriate technology to areas of the developing world. Guided by David's team, rural communities build structures far more permanent and energy efficient than any they had before."—Mike Korchinsky, Founder and CEO, Wildlife Works, Inc.

"I find great hope in David Easton's description of ways to meld the environmentally friendly with the aesthetically satisfying. And I find inspiration in his very practical advice on making these beautiful blends of earth and air a part of our lives. Architecture defines us, and helps us to find meaning in the very structures we call our homes. This book is a must read for all interested in blending spirituality with practicality."—J. Kalani English, Hawaii State Senator

"David Easton is an essential figure in the world of earthen architecture, both in the field and on paper. Through his work and books, Easton brings a practical answer to the Brundtland statement on sustainable development. He has proven beyond doubt that earthen architecture is a viable option for Our Common Future."—Hugo Houben, International Centre for Earth Construction, Grenoble, France

"David Easton's book is a definitive account of the art and technology of rammed earth construction. Architects, builders, and home-owners interested in earth construction methods should start here." -John Ochsendorf, PhD Associate Professor of Building Technology MIT Department of Architecture --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 306 pages
• Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing Company (April 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0930031792
• ISBN-13: 978-0930031794
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,256,879 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, lacks some detail on construction, February 24, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rammed Earth House: Rediscovering the Most Ancient Building Material (Real Goods Independent Living Book) (Paperback)

In Venezuela, South America, there is some interest in reviving an old method of cobnstruction, called "tapial" in spanish (rammed earth). Many old building remain in South America from the time of the spaniards. The book illustrates how a modern enginee, David Easton, in California, has taken over the problem of building with rammed earth in country where there is very little "tradition", hence know how, on building with rammed earth. The book lacks detail on the rammed earth system employed by the authors. More drawings and pictures would be very useful to translate modern technology to underdevelopped countries. Best regards, Miguel A. Megias, Professor of Engineering Universidad de Carabobo Valencia, Venezuela e-mail [e-mail].v

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "East Coaster" Looking to use Rammed Earth, April 5, 2000

By 

JOHN K KURTZ - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rammed Earth House: Rediscovering the Most Ancient Building Material (Real Goods Independent Living Book) (Paperback)

I purchased this book in order to find an optimistic source on the subject of rammed earth. David Easton does have a positive attitude about the subject. I enjoyed his enthusiasm. I enjoyed the 10 or so pages of color pictures and the many black and white pictures through the book. Like another reviewer, I felt the book lacked some good engineering sketches and some good pictoral illustrations of the forming systems. I was encouraged enough by his book to want to build a rammed earth house somewhere in the coming years. [e-mail].

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource!, January 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rammed Earth House: Rediscovering the Most Ancient Building Material (Real Goods Independent Living Book) (Paperback)

I found this book, as other books by Real Goods, to be very informative and easy for the layperson to comprehend. David presents the information in a reader friendly style, and the photos greatly enhance the script.