Juergen’s Earthbag House in Hungary
December 11, 2011 by Owen Geiger
Hello Owen. Just wanted to share with you my plan:
Next year, I will build a large roundhouse in Hungary with raschel mesh tubes. I’ve got 7km of UV-stabilized raschel mesh from a Czech company called Juta. Since there are no volcanic rocks in Hungary, I might go with Ex-clay [expanded clay aggregates] for insulation. Ex-clay costs around 100 Euro/1m^3. Right now, I might go with a gravel foundation. The requirement given by my wife was 5 sleeping rooms (preferably in the lower floor, because Hungarian summers are quite hot).
Hi Juergen
Thanks for posting your plans.
It makes sense to put the bedrooms where it is cool for sleeping, but I wonder whether there is enough airflow through the bedrooms for cooling via air movement/wind in the evenings. Obviously I have no knowledge of what the climatic conditions are in your region of Hungary, but if I were building this in temperate regions of Australia, I would allow for natural cooling though air movement.
One other thing: I question the positioning of the Russian Stove right outside a child’s bedroom door. This could pose a risk to the safety of whomever is occupying that room, especially at night when children wander and visitors may rise to use the bathroom, forgetting about the stove.
It looks a sound design though. Nice work.
If I’m reading the plan correctly, there are 5 bedrooms and 1 bathroom – which is not on the same floor as the bedrooms?
Good catch. Maybe he can add another bath in the storage room.
I like the gallery. That would make a nice office.
Thank you for your comments.
I won’t have a water toilet in the lower floor but a kind of modern chamber pot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamber_pot) in each bedroom.
Outer walls of bedrooms will be shaded from the walkaround, therefore they don’t heat up that much. Airflow can be achieved by a small window at the upper side of the bedroom doors throught the open light trap.
The russian stove won’t be a security problem, I’ll take care of it – but thanks for reminding me.
Owen replied me that the 40cm Raschel tubes I have right now on stock might be too small. He recommended to use 50cm tubes instead (or using a wood frame).
Would it be ok to use the 50cm Raschel tubes just for the outer walls of the lower floor? Rest would be made with 40cm tubes…
Everything has to be 50cm tubes. You could probably do the interior walls with 40cm if you add posts.