The basis of natural building is the need to lessen the environmental impact of buildings and other supporting systems, without sacrificing comfort or health. To be more sustainable, natural building uses primarily abundantly available, renewable, reused or recycled materials. My group chose turf building because we found it to be a practical and plentiful resource that is still implemented into many modern designs today.
Model
This model was scaled at 1 inch and made out of chipboard, clay, and a turf liner for the roof and ground. The left side demonstrates the wall structure and patterning used to support a turf roof in history, while the right side shows modern practicality with concrete walls and a turf roof. Small plants were added to the roof to demonstrate the sustainability turf roofs can provide for the environment and while also making the structure aesthetically pleasing.
Presentation Board
The board layout is organized to compare historic and modern uses of turf building. Historical turf building consisted more of complete turf and dirt structures, while modern uses gravitate towards turf roofs. Information on turf building is provided in the middle of the board to inform the viewer on this eco-friendly topic.
The other collaborator for this project was Bianca Lilley