Earth House in Mérida, México by earthLAB Studio

Article source: earthLAB Studio

The 189.3 m² house is located 25 minutes away from the city center of Mérida. The intention of building with earth is to create harmony between vernacular and modern architecture, tradition and technology, past and present; creating a style that mix schools and trends. With the combination of earth and a conventional material like concrete the old and the new work together.

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

• Architects: earthLAB Studio (David Martinez Escobar )
• Project: Earth House
• Location: Mérida, México
• Photography: Leo Espinosa 
  
• Gross Built Area: 189.3 m²
  
• Completion Year: 2017
• Other participants: Ing. Arturo González, Nodo Laboratorio de Arquitectura, Erick Arcique

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

The rammed-earth walls are the heart of the house, they create a free space that receives guests between the massive soil structure and the Mexican brick vault. Earth is a natural and forgotten resource, it is almost for free and environmental friendly.

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

On the social and economic aspect, increasing the use of natural materials empowers people to be self-sufficient and use a resource that is virtually under their feet: soil. It is well known that earth regulates the temperature of an environment and improves the air quality – healthy spaces.

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

earthLAB started as an exploration towards discovering and pushing the limits of earth as a building material. As a group of architects, engineers and designers with the aim of developing earth building technologies, earthLAB organizes workshops in Sweden where participants and users are introduced into the basics of rammed earth, develops design and helps those interested realize their projects.

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

earthLAB Studio started in January 2016. Specializing in earth as building material, our projects range extend from research to design and construction with soil. Our vision is to bring earth into the sphere of building possibilities.

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

The board is formed by Shea Hagy, from the United States, Ásgeir Sigurjónsson, from Iceland, and David Martínez Escobar, from México. All three studied a Master Program in Design for Sustainable Development at Chalmers University of Technology, in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

In May 2016 earthLAB Studio received an award called ”Den Goda Staden” (The good city), from Riksbyggen in Stockholm. With this fund earthLAB Studio is expected to improve the form used in rammed earth works, making it more efficient and accessible in today´s modern built environment.

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

Image Courtesy © Leo Espinosa

Image Courtesy © earthLAB Studio

Image Courtesy © earthLAB Studio

Image Courtesy © earthLAB Studio

Image Courtesy © earthLAB Studio

Image Courtesy © earthLAB Studio

Image Courtesy © earthLAB Studio

Image Courtesy © earthLAB Studio

Image Courtesy © earthLAB Studio

Tags: Merida, Mexico

Categories: House, Residential

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