Posted in Rectangular/Square, tagged cordwood, cordwood house plan, cordwood plan, earthbag, earthbag house plan, earthbag plan, home design, home plan, two bedroom on June 22, 2012| 12 Comments »
This cordwood house could be built with earthbags, straw bales or other sustainable materials. (click to enlarge)
Description: This simple yet practical home plan is shown with cordwood walls. The same house can be made with earthbags, straw bales, adobe, stone and other materials.
Cordwood house floorplan (click to enlarge)
Posted in Misc. structures, Over 1000 sq. ft., tagged castle plan, castle style, castle tower, disaster resistant, earthbag castle, earthbag design, earthbag home plan, earthbag house plan, earthbag plan, fortified, fortress, home design, home plan, house design on September 9, 2011| 34 Comments »
Earthbag Castle (click to enlarge)
Earthbag Castle summary:
– The castle consists of four structures – Custom Chonburi main residence, Two-story Roundhouse Above Survival Shelter guesthouse/office, Carriage House with second floor garage apartment, Guard Tower tool shed.
– All structures include a waterproof roof deck with ladder access and crenellations capped with cement or geopolymer
– All structures are also available with more standard roof designs at no extra charge (example: trussed gable roofs).
– Renewable energy systems not shown, but there is ample roof space for solar panels, solar water heaters and wind generators
– Due to a lack of protective roof overhangs, this castle is best suited to dry climates, although a reader pointed out how similar castles have stood the test of time in European climates.
– All plans can be modified for a modest fee. Just email me at strawhouses [at] yahoo.com.
Posted in Round, tagged 2 bedroom, blue print, castle, castle design, castle style, earthbag house, earthbag house plan, home design, home plan, house plan, tower, tower design, tower home plan, tower house plan, tower plan on September 5, 2011| 14 Comments »
Fortress Tower (click to enlarge)
Specifications: 855 sq. ft. interior, 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 855 sq. ft. upper floor, total = 1,717 sq. ft. interior, plus roof deck, Footprint: 36′ diameter
Description: 10 meters (33’) diameter is the maximum size of a round earthbag structure before needing buttressing (unless you use reinforced earthbags). This spacious design features a large master bedroom with desk and walk-in closet, efficient kitchen and south-facing window wall for excellent solar gain.
Fortress Tower (click to enlarge)
Posted in Round, tagged castle design, castle style, earthbag castle, earthbag house plan, earthbag plan, earthbag tower, guest house, guest house plan, house design, shelter plan, subterranean shelter, survival shelter, tower design, tower plan, underground survival shelter, watch tower on September 3, 2011| 2 Comments »
Castle Tower House (click to enlarge)
Specifications: 20’ DIA roundhouse, 314 sq. ft. interior first floor, 252 sq. ft. interior loft, 314 sq. ft. interior survival shelter plus pantry), 880 total square foot interior, Footprint: 23′ DIA, 23′ x 31′ survival shelter
Description: Every castle worth its name has to have at least one underground survival shelter. In this case it’s underneath the Tower House. It’s prudent to have a safe place to go to in case of emergencies, and what better place than your basement. Hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards and other natural disasters are all too common. While others panic and run for last minute preparations, you can calmly retreat to your basement (through a hidden trap door) that’s wisely stocked with everything you need to ride out the disaster.
More details on the Earthbag Survival Shelter that’s also sold separately (an excellent starter project and one of my most popular designs).
Posted in Over 1000 sq. ft., Rectangular/Square, tagged 2 bedroom, 3 bath, castle, classic, earthba home plan, earthbag, earthbag design, earthbag home, earthbag house, earthbag house plan, European, home design, home plan, house design, house plan, sand bag on August 29, 2011| 5 Comments »
Custom Chonburi (click to enlarge)
Description: This is a larger version of the original Chonburi design that includes two large bedrooms versus three smaller ones (all upstairs for privacy). Master bedroom has private bath. There’s also a pantry, mechanical room, sitting room, arched doorways and large country-style kitchen. Optional cathedral ceiling in master bedroom. The crenellated roof design maintains the classic lines and adds a touch of grandeur. There’s also a large roof deck where you can take in the scenery and cool breezes. This design is part of my Earthbag Castle.
Custom Chonburi Main Floor (click to enlarge)
Custom Chonburi Upper (click to enlarge)
Original Chonburi (624 sq. ft. interior main floor, 624 sq. ft. upper floor, total 1,248 sq. ft. interior, 3 bedroom, 3 bath, Footprint: 27′ x 29′)
Posted in Domes, tagged dome, earth dome, earthbag, earthbag dome, earthbag home plan, earthbag house plan, earthbag plan, gazebo, Mindfulness, site plan on August 22, 2011| 5 Comments »
Mindfulness Project site plan -- aerial view of dome cluster and gazebo (click to enlarge)
Mindfulness Project site plan -- dome cluster and gazebo (click to enlarge)
Posted in Round, tagged earthbag, earthbag home, earthbag home plan, earthbag house, earthbag house plan, earthbag roundhouse, Hobbit, hobbit home plan, hobbit house, hobbit house plan, loft, one bath, one bedroom, round house, roundhouse, roundhouse plan, small on June 23, 2011| 35 Comments »
Hobbit House (click to enlarge)
Description: Many people dream of a simpler life, free of the cares of this world. They want a home that is easy to build and maintain, small yet adequate in size, with everything they need to live comfortably with their small friends. This one and a half story home is designed for you. Features include drop-down stairs that lead to a spacious loft, wood stove heating, and modern kitchen with pantry space for Hobbit food. The undulating thatch roof or living roof is created by varying the knee wall height above the bond beam. (Another earthbag first.)
Hobbit House (click to enlarge)
Hobbit House with wood shingles (click to enlarge)
Hobbit House with Grain Bin Roof (click to enlarge)
Plans are available through Dream Green Homes. Just ask if the plan you want isn’t posted yet.
Hobbit House with haystack roof (click to enlarge)
Hobbit House with 2nd story Open-air Deck (click to enlarge)
Posted in Domes, tagged dome cluster, earthbag, earthbag building, earthbag dome, earthbag dome plan, earthbag home plan, earthbag house plan, earthbag plan, one bath, one bedroom, sand bag, subterranean, survival dome, survival shelter on April 12, 2011| 51 Comments »
Triple Dome Survival Shelter (click to enlarge)
Description: This Triple Dome Survival Shelter provides much more space than my first earthbag survival shelter. This design is for long term survival for a family. It is earthquake and fire resistant, bullet and nuclear fallout resistant. It is built above grade to reduce risk of flooding. Features include buried cistern between the domes, plenty of storage space, vaulted entry with bullet resistant cellar door. Let’s hope for the best, but it’s also prudent to be prepared for the worst.
Triple Dome Survival Shelter (click to enlarge)
Posted in Domes, tagged dome, dome home, earthbag, earthbag dome, earthbag home, earthbag home plan, earthbag house, earthbag house plan, green, home plan, house plan, low cost, small, sustainable on March 24, 2011| 13 Comments »
Earthbag/Geodesic Dome (click to enlarge)
Description: Many readers prefer rounded domes. However, rounded domes cannot be built by earthbags alone. This solution — inspired by Richard Laurens — uses a 24′ diameter geodesic frame set on 42″ high earthbag walls. Metal and wood geodesic frames are available as kits through various suppliers, or you could build your own. Lightweight bags of insulation cover the entire dome. A key feature is the expansive window wall that provides a sunny, pleasant home. Most dome homes, in contrast, have insufficient or poorly protected windows.
Earthbag/Geodesic Dome (click to enlarge)
Posted in Round, tagged deck, earthbag building, earthbag home, earthbag house, earthbag house plan, green, home plan, house plan, roundhouse, roundhouse plan, roundhouse with yurt, yurt, yurt plan, yurt with roundhouse on February 25, 2011| 14 Comments »
Roundhouse with Yurt (click to enlarge)
Description: This is an interesting design with numerous benefits. The roundhouse provides low cost space and a stable base for the yurt. The elevated yurt captures the views and breezes, and eliminates the need for building a roof (which is often an issue for those lacking carpentry experience). The deck adds extended living space and protects lower walls.
Note: this open plan can be arranged to your specifications.
Options:
Insulated earthbag foundation
Insulated yurts using earthbags
Earthbag House Plans 