Earth Sheltered Architecture DISSERTATION

A DISSERTATION PROJECT ON

EARTH SHELTERED ARCHITECTURE

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of degree Of BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE

Thesis Coordinator & Guide- Dr. Aniket Sharma

Submitted By-Abhinav Kumawat (15614)

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AIMThe aim of this research is to understand the potentials of earth sheltered architecture as an sustainable alternative to design construction.

OBJECTIVEThe objectives are•To study the benefits and drawbacks of earth sheltering.

•To study the necessary codes and requirements of constructing earth sheltered homes.

•To go green and restore natural habitat.

SCOPE-

The scope of the research is to provide advancements in earth sheltered construction and exploration of it to Indian context.

IDEOLOGY“I woke up one day to the fact that the earth’s surface was made for living plants, not industrial plants” ~ Malcolm wells

Fig.1.Loves nature

Fig.5.Loves nature

Fig.2. Kill it

Fig.6.Find ruined land

Fig.3.Build Building

Fig.7.Build Earth sheltered

Fig.4.Plant Grass

Fig.8.Restore Natural Habitat

At the end it is all about providing a best alternative design solution for habituating a piece of land.

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INTRODUCTION An earth shelter is a structure (usually a house) with earth (soil) against the walls, on the roof, or that is entirely buried

underground.

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A building can be described as earth-sheltered when it has a thermally significant amount of soil or substrate in contact with its external envelope, where “thermally significant” means making a functional contribution to the thermal effectiveness of the building in question.

TYPES Bermed- earth is banked

against the exterior walls, sloping down away from the building.  In-hill- earth covers the

roof in addition to the walls.  Underground-the house is

set in below grade.

1 Different forms of earth sheltering

EVOLUTION-

Fig.9.Caves

Fig.10.Mandan lodge, North Dakota. c. 1908

Fig.11.Turf house in Sanautasel, Iceland.

Fig.12.Earth house estate in Dietikon made by Peter Vetsch 2004

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Fig.9.Villa Vals,Swiss Alps

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SOURCE: https://www.archdaily.com/43187/villa-vals-search-cma

A

A’

B

B’ Fig.11.Villa first floor level

Fig.10.Barn floor level

Fig.11.Villa Ground floor level

Fig.12.Villa mezzanine floor level

4 Fig.13.Villa Section AA’

Fig.14.Villa Section BB’

Architects SeARCH & CMA Location Vals, Switzerland Climate Cold Climate

Main Block

Barn(main entrance)

18m Underground tunnel

Fig.16.Site View

Fig.17.Light at end of the tunnel

Shouldn’t it be possible to conceal a house in an Alpine slope while still exploiting the wonderful views and allowing light to enter the building?

Fig.18.Built at 45 degree slope

Fig.16.Surrounding Barns

Fig.19.Barn(main entrance)

5 Fig.20.Image during construction.

Fig.21.Image during construction.

Fig.22.Skylight

Fig.23.Steps down to tunnel

Natural water source.

Timber for heating purposes like bath(vals is famous for its bath with view of mountains

Fig.24Steps down to tunnel

Fig.25.Bedroom

Railing

Stone wall

Fig.29.Pedestrian access Fig.26.Cold mirrors used to lighten interior Windows

Storage Fig.27.Living Area

Fig.28.Outer Seating space

Fig.30.Pedestrian access

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Fig.31.Outer view

Fig.32.Interior view

Fig.33.Outer view

Fig.34.Interior view

Fig.35.Entrance view

Fig.36.Rural house

SOURCE: https://www.archdaily.com/635710/rural-house-rcr-arquitectes

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Brief-Home for a discovery of a balance between nature, independence and a communal living for the inhabitants.

Architects in Charge Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem, RamĂłn Vilalta.

Location La Garrotxa, Spain The site lies between two fields, between two views (Romanic church and the Pyrenees), between two aspects, two levels: on the edge of an embankment.

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Fig.38.Site Plan

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Fig.37.Site Plan The longitudinal level is 1.5 metres below the field above, which drops by as much as three metres in the private spaces that can open or close to permit intimacy or meetings. The entrance is at the same level as the lower field.

The house takes up a position on the site to enhance the landscape values, like the emergence of cracks caused by water as it runs down the slope in search of transversal flows, giving rise to the longitudinal flow that unites the worlds of the kitchen and the orchard (a colonised footprint), of a living room with ponds and bedrooms with courtyards.

Lift

Entrance

Fig.39.Section AA’ through the site

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Fig.42.Plan at level -8.40m

Fig.41.Placement of spaces

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Fig.40.Earth sheltering at various sections 24

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Fig.43.Plan at level -2.10m 20

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Fig.44.Plan at level +0 m

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Fig.45.Section AA’ A

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A Fig.46.Section BB’

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Fig.48.Elevation above grade

Fig.49.Roof plan

Fig.50.Images at the time of construction

Fig.51.Retaining Methodology

Fig.52.Merging with the habitat

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Fig.52.Katima House,Greece

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SOURCE: https://www.archdaily.com/589551/ktima-house-camilo-rebelo-susana-martins

Architects Camilo Rebelo + Susana Martins Location-Antiparos, Greece Area-950.0 sqm Ktima, in Greek, means farm or parcel with fertile land. The project site is a plot with steep slopes, mostly green, with a few trees that are an exception in the context of Antiparos Island.

From above, in the main access area, we see a thick white and abstract line, adapting to topography and to the interior requirements. On the other hand, looking from the sea, we discover the facade with a figurative, continuous yet apparently fragmented composition that refers us to an ancient citadel.

Fig.53.Katima House,Greece

Fig.52.Katima House,Greece

The green roof guarantees with efficiency a constant temperature in the interior, without the need of powerful cooling systems.

Fig.54.Katima House,Greece

Fig.55.Shaft

On the back of the house Patios and shafts are incorporated that are extremely important for both levels ventilation.

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Fig.56.Ground floor plan

The entrance level being the main house with bedrooms and other habitable spaces.

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Fig.57.First floor plan

The lower level incorporates the guesthouse, service and staff areas.

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The cafe beneath : An earth sheltered cafe for 100 people

Fig.58.Entrance View

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CITY- RAWATBHATA,RAJASTHAN COORDINATES-24.93°N 75.58°E CLIMATE- HUMID SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE CFA(KOPPEN AND GEIGER)

AVG.RAINFALL-850MM AVG. TEMPERATURE- 35’C (MAY)

Fig.58.Location plan

17.3’C (JAN) SOIL TYPE- SANDY LOAM

150M 135M

Fig.59.Location plan 75M

NORTH

Rawatbhata is a city, tehsil and a nager palika in Chittorgarh District of Rajasthan. It is 50km from the nearest city, Kota. The city has eight nuclear power stations, under construction nuclear fuel complex, and a heavy water plant. Rawatbhata also has one of the biggest dams in Rajasthan, Rana Pratap Sagar Dam, which is built on the Chambal River.

Fig.60.Site plan

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CONCEPT: Treasure Cove: Hiding the shelter under the sand.

Evolution of form

The design is made using collection of units.

Fig.61.Unit The structure of a unit is kept Intact throughout arrangement.

Fig.62.Arrangement of units around a courtyard

Fig.63.The wind tower catches the air and flows it through the building and courtyard efficiently helps in conventional flow of air.

Fig.64.Final View

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LEVEL +1650

LEVEL -1350 LEVEL -1350 LEVEL +1650

LEVEL +150 LEVEL +00 LEVEL +00

LEVEL -1650

Electrical room

LEVEL -1650 LEVEL +1650 LEVEL -1350

LEVEL -1350

LEVEL +00

LEVEL-1650

LEVEL +00

Fig.65.Ground Floor Plan

LEVEL +00

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WAITING AREA

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SEATING AREA

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TV AREA

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SERVICE AREA

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UPPER LEVEL SEATING

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JUICE -BAR SEATING

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JUICE-BAR SEATING

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PRIVATE SEATING

Fig.66.First Floor Plan

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Fig.68.Cooking Area View Fig.70.Ground Floor Level

Fig.69.First Floor Level

20 Fig.71.JuiceBar Area View

Rcc Column Gravel and Sand

Polystyrene insulation

Fig.75.Left Side Elevation

Water Proofing Plaster Fig.79.Wall Section

Sand Gravel and Sand Drain Fig.76.Rear Elevation

Rcc Beam

Clay

Polystyrene insulation Waterproofing

Gravel and Sand

Plaster Fig.80.Roof Section

Fig.77.Right Side Elevation Rcc Column

Polystyrene insulation Water Proofing

Skirting

Gravel and Sand

Flooring Pcc

Fig.78.Front Elevation

Earth

Perforated Drain Fig.81.Foundation Section

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Fig.82.Service Area

Fig.84.Private Dining Area

Fig.83.Private Seating Area

Fig.85.Service Area Dining

22 Fig.86.Mezzanine Dining Area

Fig.87.First Floor Dining Area

Fig.88.Dining Area View

Fig.89.Waiting Area View

Fig.90.Dining Area View

Fig.91.Dining Area View

23 Fig.92.Dining Area View

Fig.93.Dining Area View

Conventional building Walls area covered with earth- 0sqm Roof area covered with earth- 0sqm Ground area coverage-335 Sqm Less noise protection Aestheticaly less pleasing Warm in summer Cool in winter More walls exposed to sun More vulnerable to atmospheric radiation Less defensible

Fig.96. Less Green ( Conventional Building)

Not concealed.

Fig.94.Floor Plan

Earth sheltered building Walls area covered with earth- 248sqm Roof area covered with earth- 197sqm Area in additionally green-197sqm More noise protection Aesthetically more pleasing Cooler in summer.

Warm in winter.

Less walls exposed to sun.

More resistant to atmospheric radiation More defensible Concealment.

Fig.95.Floor Plan

Fig.97. More Green. (Earth sheltered Building)

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References SOURCE: http://www.traditional-is-modern.net/LIBRARY/INDIA-BUILDING-CODES/IS13827.pdf SOURCE: https://www.archdaily.com/635710/rural-house-rcr-arquitectes SOURCE: https://www.archdaily.com/43187/villa-vals-search-cma SOURCE: https://www.archdaily.com/589551/ktima-house-camilo-rebelo-susana-martins SOURCE: https:// www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a140831.pd SOURCE: https://www.google.com/intl/en_in/earth/ SOURCE: https://en.climate-data.org/asia/india/rajasthan/rawatbhata-755417/ SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_shelter/ SOURCE: https://books.google.co.in/books/about/The_earth_sheltered_house.html&redir_esc=y/ SOURCE: https://books.google.co.in/books/about/The_earth_sheltered_house.html&redir_esc=y/

Thank You

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