Earthbag Construction

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Earthbag construction is a great way to passively avoid heating and cooling costs.
Earthbag construction is a great way to passively avoid heating and cooling costs.
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This cement-block frame, earthbag-infill house was the first of its kind in Utah to receive a building permit.
This cement-block frame, earthbag-infill house was the first of its kind in Utah to receive a building permit.
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Co-author Kaki Hunter fills a continuous earthbag tube right on the wall to minimize carrying and lifting.
Co-author Kaki Hunter fills a continuous earthbag tube right on the wall to minimize carrying and lifting.
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The Honey House, built by the authors, is a prime example of Iranian architect Nader Khalili’s corbelled dome, monolithic design.
The Honey House, built by the authors, is a prime example of Iranian architect Nader Khalili’s corbelled dome, monolithic design.
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This undulating wall shows the results of the earthbag technique used to create a utilitarian yet artful structure.
This undulating wall shows the results of the earthbag technique used to create a utilitarian yet artful structure.

You can build a magnificent shelter with a couple of rolls of barbed wire, a bale of bags, a shovel and nothing more than the earth beneath your feet. This is the premise that inspired the imagination of visionary architect Nader Khalili when he conceived the idea of “sandbag architecture.” In his quest to seek solutions to social dilemmas such as affordable housing and environmental degradation, Khalili drew on his skills as a contemporary architect while exercising the ingenuity of his native cultural heritage; earthen architecture is common in his homeland, Iran, and throughout the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Mediterranean.

According to many building professionals and environmental groups, earthen buildings currently house more than one-third of the world’s population. Thousands of years ago, people discovered and utilized the principles of arch and dome construction. By applying this ancient structural technology, combined with a few modern-day materials, Khalili has cultivated a dynamic, contemporary form of earthen architecture that we simply call “earthbag building.” He teaches this technique at the California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture in Hesperia.

Simplicity and Beauty

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