RAMMED EARTH
As
the name already says, rammed earth is a type of
construction, where you literally ram the Earth to create a
structure.
Usually you will have a formwork set up to the width of the
wall you want to raise. This formwork is then filled with
layer of Earth. The Earth here can be quite rough with
gravels and other sorts of materials in it.
This gets than "rammed", using manual rams or mechanical
tampers, depending on the labour you are able to put in,
the time and energy.
Of course it is really labour intense to raise a wall like
that so either you have a lot of friendly helpers or you
use mechanical or hydraulical tampers. In any case you will
then create a wall with a beautiful looking structure, that
can even have (if you want so) straight walls.
I am not a big fan of straight walls, but nowadays this
seems to be a problem for a lot of people. The concern that
their furniture doesn't really fit in the exact corner is
suddenly more important than warm, natural forms and
structures.
EXAMPLES:
KAPELLE
DER VERSÖHNUNG, BERLiN
(CHAPEL OF RECONSiLiATiON)
The
chapel of reconciliation stands In the center of Berlin, in
the former death strip of The Wall, on the foundations of
the exploded conciliation church...
The original church has been demolished in 1985 by the East
German border troops, but it had already been inaccessible
since 1961 as it was standing on the so called "Death
Strip". After the Re-Union of Germany the land spot was
given back to the community.
10 years after the wall came down the construction for the
new church started after the plans by Architects Peter
Sassenroth and Rudolph Reitermann. The new building should
be a place to remember, to conciliate...
The
church is the first public building constructed in Rammed
Earth Technique. Supervised by Martin Rauch the Earth
structure was erected by volunteers from 14 European
countries.
Check the
website
for more information.
It's Earth. It's nature. It's feeling goooood !
