Building from the Watershed
One of the primal attractions to building with earth is harvesting raw materials from the construction site itself. In the old days (pre-industrial revolution), that was always the
case. Soil dug from the foundation trenches or from a nearby borrow pit was either molded into sun-dried bricks…
What is Rammed Earth?
Rammed earth is a structural wall system built of natural mineral soils compacted in thin layers within sturdy formwork. The strength and durability of the wall results from the densification of a clay, sand, and gravel matrix. The mass of the wall provides superior thermal and acoustic properties.
Learn More About Watershed Materials (PDF):
Watershed Block Sheet
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R WB26
2-color coarse rammed earth.
S KK21
Decomposed granite sample tablet.
P HR37
Poured capital against pise wall.
R WB27
Detail at corner, rammed earth.
R WB28
Corner of curving wall, rammed earth.
R BL28
Vines on 15-yr old rammed earth garden wall.
R BI25
2-color stratified rammed earth.
S HR13
Aged pise formed face.
P HR34
Rust stains on poured exterior column.
R PD30
Stainless signage on entry wall.
S HR 12
Double-shot pise
P HR32
Lichen on poured pool coping
P NC35
Rock pocket in sample tablet.
R BI29
Rust stains on entry column.
R LV25
3-color stratified rammed earth.
R MK27
Sandblasted pise.
P HR39
Fire-brick and coping stones.
R WB27
Slip-plane_stratification rammed earth.
R HR22
Rammed garden wall.
S MK15
Pise sample tablet.