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Writer's pictureScarlett Lee

Aesthetics of fabric formed rammed earth: how materials and builders contribute to design


rammed earth, rammer, compaction, builders, fabric formwork, flexible formwork, fabric formed rammed earth, earth structure, earth building, earth wall, earth house, low tech, self-build, sustainable architecture, sustainable building, sustainable materials, local materials, natural materials, sustainable design, material-driven design
Compaction of builders can play a significant role in creating the form of fabric formed rammed earth. These two rammed earth walls look similar but the rammed earth on the right has more distinctive undulation


While developing and building fabric formed rammed earth (FRE) technology, I have discovered interesting aspects of FRE. One of the interesting features is that materials and builders can play an active role in design. The general outline of FRE can be controlled and estimated, but the detailed design of FRE is completely dependent on materials and builders. This is associated with the nature of fabric. Because of the flexible quality of fabric, the fabric’s form can be dramatically changed. Fabric looks loose before compaction starts, but it bulges gradually during the construction once fabric formwork is filled with soil. The extent of fabric’s bulging can vary according to the compaction from builders. The higher compaction is given, the more bulged form is produced. This significantly differs from rigid formed rammed earth: rammed earth’ form is restrained by rigid timber or steel formwork, so materials and builders’ roles in design are very much limited.



rammed earth, rammer, compaction, builders, fabric formwork, flexible formwork, fabric formed rammed earth, earth structure, earth building, earth wall, earth house, low tech, self-build, sustainable architecture, sustainable building, sustainable materials, local materials, natural materials, sustainable design, material-driven design
A different level of undulation is clearly shown on the profile of these two rammed earth walls' facade

While comparing the photos of rammed earth walls I built, I discovered how the form of FRE can be significantly different according to compaction. The left photo shows the rammed earth wall that I built with a manual rammer in South Korea, while the right photo shows the rammed earth wall that I built with an electric rammer in Edinburgh, UK. They were built with a similar fabric formwork, so the appearances are similar at first glance, but the profiles are a lot different. As you can see in the photos, the rammed earth wall on the right has more distinctive undulation. That is because an electric rammer has a bigger compaction, so it contributed to creating more bulged forms.



rammed earth, rammer, compaction, builders, fabric formwork, flexible formwork, fabric formed rammed earth, earth structure, earth building, earth wall, earth house, low tech, self-build, sustainable architecture, sustainable building, sustainable materials, local materials, natural materials, sustainable design, material-driven design
The rammed earth built with a manual rammer has a subtle undulation compared to the rammed earth built with an electric rammer


Building fabric formed rammed earth with a manual rammer (left) and an electric rammer (right)




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