Crit Day!

Pin Up for the Final Crit

This Wednesday was the report hand in and the presentation for all the individual projects in Stage 5 MARch at Kent School of Architecture.  

The day went really well and there was some great feedback from the tutors.  Everyone had some great individual work, and it was good to see what everyone else had been up to.

The Story So Far....

A short video of where we are up to. . . . 

Day 2 on site

Luckily a very beautiful Kentish day!

The willow weaved plinth wall was lined with waste plastic sheet from the polytunnels. The voids were then filled with bark from the pruning and lined again with another sheet of polythene to act as DPM.

Initial stakes are inserted and the first bales are laid.

Staking down each bale as it is laid for rigidity and to keep the walls in line.

Cross bracing door opening put into place to keep the bales tight and upright.

Losing light on the third course of bales. Time to call it a day

Day 1 on site

Started on site today with the willow weave plinth wall.

Site all marked out and leveled, ready to go!

weaving the willow in a twining fashion, to get the tightest weave possible for filling.

End of day 1. 

 Early start tomorrow to get the rest of the willow cut and weaved, ready for the straw bales.

Willow Weaving

For the natural plinth wall, I wish to make the border out of willow weave. 

When this is done properly it looks very neat and beautiful 

I had my first attempt this Christmas....

Little more practice needed.

For the plinth wall we need 150mm of tightly packed willow weave, which I can waterproof and build the bales directly onto.

Using some of the cuttings we had another go at a required height.

This was assisted by some local children.

Even though the snow has halted anything starting on site, I can construct all the elements under cover ready for the quick erection.

Crit Day

Crit Sheet

Presentation day - Due to weather conditions I did not have much physical work to show on site. 

We presented to our tutors, and guests for 20 minutes, in powerpoint form. 

The feedback was all positive, (the sheet above) .

I had various models to show at 1:50 how elements would go together 

Tyre foundations with plinth wall.

Possible adaptation into mortise and tenon joints

willow weaved plinth wall.

Main points from the crit: write-up wise, get my facts and sources figured out.

build the best possible for the site, and then have write up and theory behind the adaptations.

Triangulating Bales

Currently Straw bale buildings can only be applied to the level of the eaves, and cannot fill Gable ends due to their shape. 

But I am sure this is possible? 

I am going to test this theory on a couple of my own bales.  

Being able to build the bales up into gable ends will not only create a consistent building material, but will also make sure the insulation and air tightness is consistent throughout the wall, leaving no gaps.

Wish me luck.....