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Cal Earth Creating Different Housing

Posted by Hemos on from the beyond-the-norm dept.

ClosedLoop writes " Yesterday was the 14th anniversary of the Cal Earth Institute. I found myself in southern California's high desert listening to Iranian-born writer, award-winning-architect, and Cal Earth Institute founder Nader Khalili present his vision of affordable housing that the world's people can build for themselves. Judging from his research structures (and EcoDome), he's not far from his goal. He also works with NASA on ideas for structures that can be built from local Lunar or Martian materials. "

10 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. Adobe? by Dancin_Santa · · Score: 5, Interesting

    People have been making structures for themselves for a long time. From the towering A-frame lodges of the Pacific Islands to the mud-brick adobe dwellings of the American plains, eco-friendly housing has been around for literally all time.

    These designs all require some kind of special material or parts that aren't so easily available in many areas. Fortunately, the dwellings these indigenous people have been using since the beginning of their civilization will work just fine.

    1. Re:Adobe? by danamania · · Score: 2, Interesting

      > These designs all require some kind of special material or
      > parts that aren't so easily available in many areas.

      The lunar ones I find interesting, because up there it's likely there will be none of the typical materials, but plenty of technology. No wood, plant matter, not even water for mud bricks. The idea of a fused magma dome generated by focused sunlight is just too cool :)

    2. Re:Adobe? by Firethorn · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Actually, I think that the really traditional Adobe houses took earthquakes more or less fine. Many of the deaths in the mideast are more due to people living in shacks built from scavanged materials, where they didn't even have the resources to create the traditional type homes.

      Also, fads factor into this, as people want to build a "western" home, without doing the fancy things required to make them earthquake resistant.

      Remember the town that was buried in ash from a volcano? Many of the buildings remained intact.

      --
      I don't read AC A human right
  2. refreshing ideas by courseB · · Score: 4, Interesting

    nice to see a look towards 'nature' with curved and organic lines. a cactus is a powerhouse due to its round shape. we could make our homes such too.

    living in this straight line box is getting old.

  3. What's it like to live in? by niemeyer · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I found the site interesting, I'm always looking for interesting, durable building techniques for the "Dream House". What I did not find was what these houses are like to live in. They looked pretty comfortable to live in for the California/desert climate, but I wonder how they hold up in rainer climates like the US southeast or even Northern plains like North Dakota, etc.

  4. Holds up in Wet weather? by implex · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The outside of these things, and other similar structures, use a mixture of clay and sand and often organic matter building up an earthen render nearly two inches thick. Even though this withstands light infrequent rain quite well often a more resilient topcoat is added. Traditionalists lean towards a lime based render. Use of cement in the render will also give it waterproof qualities but is not considered as a natural a finish.

  5. Monolithic Concrete Dome Houses by furry_wookie · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Actually, there are some people already doing more forward looking home building.

    http://www.monolithicdome.com/

    We are seriously thinking about building our house using this product in a few years. Its going to either one of these domes or using insultated concrete forms (ICF).

    --
    -- Given enough time and money, Microsoft will eventualy invent UNIX.
  6. Re:Needs to be blessed by academia by J05H · · Score: 2, Interesting

    >> This guy may actually be doing a good job, but as others have said, it's not as if he invented doing things this way.

    Mr Khalili is taking his native Iranian building styles and knowledge and using modern/futuristic materials in the building. His buildings are the some of the only structures that rate a "10" on California's earthquake-resistance standards. His buildings are beautiful, strong and apparently very comfortable inside. His is a very successful combination of the old and new.

    the it-doesn't-exist-until-it's-discovered attitude is a leftover of the Europeans moving out of their dark ages - the attitude colors every aspect of American life. History is far more complicated than our official teachings.

    josh

    --
    gigantino.tv - Heavy but weighs nothing.
  7. hope these do not get blocked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    i love alternative housing, but it sure is difficult to get insurance for non-standard houses on the east coast. I would love to build one of these (or a concrete foam dome) up here in vermont (heating is super expensive), but as always - you get boned by insurance - despite the fact that it can handle more weight, wind, fire, flood, wild boars than normal wood and nail houses built by sometimes less than scrupulous contractors on tight budgets. ever wander around modern construction sites? some scary stuff going on! how long are we (as a society) all going to get screwed by insurance? right...america...forever.

  8. Re:It's supposed to be affordable by Suidae · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I thought the 1800 included the tubing?

    I think you have to supply the dirt yourself though. I sure rather do that then have them FedEx it.