@globalgeneration are getting to the end of their amazing build project in Kings Cross. This is an earth floor with natural fibre and they have added bio-indicators to help determine when the floor has dried. Bio-indicators are cheap to use, show clearly green when the material is wet and when dry brown and brittle. They work in earth floors, and with mass, framed, light earth building systems as well as in moulded earth blocks and thicker earth plasters...
#earthbuilding #bioindicators #naturalbuilding
China recollections, sabbatical month November 2026. Chapter IV.
As guest editor of the @oasejournal on LAYERINGS, I embarked on a journey to visit the tulou, mythical and majestic constructions of rammed earth and wood, fortified communal housing scattered in the remote hilly countryside of Fujian. Since 1956, 3733 tulou have been rediscovered, mostly through the work of the Chinese scholar Huang Hanmin. I was accompanied by my PhD student @yan.zhi.yang and rammed earth specialist and Unesco Honorary Professor Rowland Keable @ebukigram who gave critical in-depth knowledge on how to build with soil. My contribution revisits the layered transformation projects by Beijing-based architect Xu Tiantian and her office DnA Design and Architecture of several tulou. The site visits were preceded by an interview with Xu Tiantian in her office in Beijing. Release of the Layerings OASE end of 2026. #tulou #rammedearth #restoration #transformation #architecturaldetail in the car also the great @shinsaku.suzuki
Here is our Clayfest movie!
This year, it goes beyond Clayfest! We talk about transforming the sector, and you will watch it from Thursday on our YouTube channel!!
EBUKI has been working for years and continues working to create the networks, community, and policy change, to help with research projects
Together we are stronger and will reach much further.
This will be a personal response to a short but intense visit to buildings which challenge us at technical, social and economic levels. The experience as an earth builder is the speakers main qualification to discuss these and other buildings. This should be a lively and thought provoking dive towards a design and living culture very different to that of the speakers African and European working life.
Please do join us and support EBUKI, a word which in Japanese means the unseen green shoots of plants emerging...
#tulous #earthbuilding #rammedearth #mouldedearthblock #fujian @unesco_chair_earth
Development continues on clay boards at @strocks_uk with @cfpr_research and @ebukigram Technical challenges remain but extruding clay and fibre means making boards which are homogeneous and surprisingly stiff, holding in place with a single fixing. They aren't as smooth as plasterboard but won't off-gas toxic emissions in landfill either...
My thanks to Sikhulile Sangwelibanzi of the Beautiful Homes Competition for introducing Sibusisiwe Sibanda ward 15 and setting up the demonstration of repair and preparation of her home ready to receive this years designs. Both inside and out will be completely changed to have a chance at winning, some 900 homes are competing.
Notice how damage to the base of the wall after a particularly rainy season is confined to the western, weather facing side, a common feature of all buildings that weather is directional.
To see more check /share/184rsfLcDz/ they are grateful for your support, 900 homes will all get a prize large or small, help if you can...
As the days are getting longer, we start thinking about summer plans, and here it is, the plan!
Do you want to start your path into natural materials? Do you want to get hands on and also understand the materials you are using?
This course introduced you to two natural materials that can do so much for you! From structures to insulation, they can be your walls, and they can also be beautiful sculptures and finishes.
Open the door to a wide range of creative solutions!
Book your place via @centreforalternativetechnology before it is full!
A short walk around a village in the Fujian region reveals impressive tulou and many domestic houses with a range of designs and earth materials which each blend with food production in and around them with such care and detail worn smooth with use and experience. They are charming and utilitarian, sophisticated and old. The roofs are particularly robust and impressive...
Ebuki enables collaboration between academics @cfpr_research and industry @strocks_uk with ongoing work on testing, process and teaching combining dynamic possibilities. Our COO Maria Sanchez (@beyondourroots_ ) has been working with them since June, now on this hands on research
More extruder news, interlocking blocks at half a tonne per m3, lots of straw in the mix but enough clay to prevent combustion. No official test results, maybe later in the year...
#earthbuilding #extrusion #lightearth
Featuring @h.g.matthews , one of the first UK brickmakers with product-specific EPDs. 🧱🚀
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗣𝗗𝘀 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀): 🌍 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗲 & 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: FU 𝟭 𝘁, 𝗥𝗦𝗟 𝟭𝟱𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀, EN 15804+A2 across 𝗔𝟭–𝗖𝟰 + 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗗 🚚 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 (𝗔𝟰): 𝟯𝟱 𝗸𝗺 by >32 t EURO 6 lorry, 𝟱𝟯.𝟯% load factor ♻️𝗘𝗻𝗱-𝗼𝗳-𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲: 𝟳𝟰% to recycling, 𝟮𝟲% to landfill; Module D credits via 𝟳𝟰𝟬 𝗸𝗴 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 substitution 🧩 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁-𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲: Handmade, machine-made, and wood-fired bricks—each with verified datasets
𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲: 🖐️ Handmade: characterful finishes for conservation & contemporary work 🏭 Machine-made: consistent performance, stable supply 🔥 Wood-fired: distinctive tones from renewable kilns 🧱 STROCKS™️ (unfired earth): kiln-free, high thermal mass, natural humidity control
Discover more by visiting app.2050-materials.com and read the full article on 2050-materials.com/blog
