Aerial Survey & Fly-over

A living example of connectedness on the planet...

The Eartha Madre Project

One of the initial requirements in our ongoing education about the site and potential building locations involved learning how to be in relationship to the larger whole.  An aerial survey provided a topographical map as well as new awareness of how the site interacted and was impacted by the surrounding landscape.  How was the site affected by the energy flows of wind, water and fire?  In what ways had the earth itself been shaped based on those energy flows and how can the site design support and nurture a harmonious relationship with the energies that flow through it.

Initial Groundwork

The building location is very close to the rich alluvial soils associated with the larger alluvial fan spreading across the site but out of the flood plain.  This became more and more evident as we commenced the groundwork and pouring the foundation.  It is a gently sloping site with excellent solar orientation.  It is also down slope from the well site, minimizing the distance for water delivery and allowing for gravity feed if necessary due to fire or electrical outage.

 

Its location close to the keyline makes it well placed for access and transport of water and materials to all the relatively flat portions of the lower part of the property and the house site is even nestled up against a copse of deciduous oak trees, where it will be protected from the hot afternoon sun in the summer but where sunlight can penetrate in the winter.

Choosing A Foundation

The two most important aspects of building a natural home are its “hat” (roof) and its “shoes” (foundation).  Sustainable materials are more susceptible to affects of weather than are traditional building materials and with attention paid to the hat and shoes, an envelope is created that resists harmful mold, dust and allergens, along with powerful wind, storm and fire damage.

 

From an energy efficiency standpoint, the thick concrete core of insulated concrete forms keeps air where it should be, meaning interior temperatures stay steady throughout the year, reducing heating and cooling costs.

Inside the insulated forms

We chose to use Reward Wall Systems, as the most efficient and user friendly material for our building’s “shoes”.   It was very much like building with Lego blocks in the way that the forms joined together and didn’t require the masonry skills needed for a traditional block stem wall. The blocks are stacked and glued, course by course on top of a concrete footing.   Spaces for doors and windows are left open and braced to prepare for pouring concrete inside of them.  The blocks even have built-in channels for horizontal rebar placement.

 

The thick concrete core of these forms blocks sound and heat transfer for a more comfortable living environment.  As owner builders, we were very happy with our choice to use these Reward Wall forms for our building’s “shoes”.

Concrete Pumping

The final step in the process before we could put up the timber frame was to fill all the insulated concrete forms with the concrete.  We hired a concrete pumping service in tandem with the cement truck delivery and put together a group of friends and family to assist with the pour. 

Even with six adult men, it was a tiring day dragging and holding that pumping hose full of concrete!

Topographical Map & Site Plan

                 Seeing the site from the air and then viewing the topography of the site on paper gave us a wealth of information and insights.  This place is part of a larger watershed.  The site is nestled within an area shaped like a bowl tipped to the southeast, bounded by one ridge to the west and a secondary ridge to the north.  Because of its position within the southeast facing “bowl” the site has an almost ideal solar aspect for this climate.  It admits the early morning sun in the cold times of year and is protected from the hot afternoon sun in the midsummer.

             We also discovered that the site straddles the “key line”, that place in the landscape where the shape changes from steeply sloping to broad and relatively flat.  At the key line the change in slope causes flowing water to slow down and deposit its load of sediment in alluvial fans.  In our case, about 50% of the property is located on the edges of a nutrient rich alluvial fan creating incredible opportunities for gardens and landscaping surrounding the structures on the site.

To contact us:

info@EarthaMadre.com