Earth as Memory:
Mixed-Use Earthen Residential in CID
Classification: Mixed-use Residential
Location: 522 7th Ave S, Seattle, WA, 98104
Site Dimensions: 250 ft x 220 ft
WHY EARTH ??
Environmentally
Light Earth Wall vs Light wood frame Wall
Embodied Phrase:
71% reductions in global climate change impacts
55% reductions in energy demand
57% reductions in air acidification
27% reductions in air particulate pollution
Operational phase (Portland):
Heating: reduce ≈ 31%
Cooling: reduce ≈ 20%
Thermal and Moisture performance
Good response to hot weather:
- 4.33 inch drop 0.65 ℉
- 7 inch drop 1 ℉
Good response to cold weather:
- 4.33 inch 1% above benchmark
- 7 inch about same as benchmark
Benchmark of Light wood frame wall
Moisture of 4.33 inch light earth fill in
Temperature of 4.33 inch light earth fill in
Temperature of 7 inch light earth fill in
Moisture of 7 inch light earth fill in
5.5 inch
Typical Light wood frame wall
4.33 inch
4.33 inch light earth fill in wall
7 inch
7 inch light earth fill in wall
Ground Level Plan
1. Tulou Garden
2. Lobby Office
3. Interior Clay Workshop
4. Ceramic Display
5. Storage Room
6. Washroom
7. Machanical Room/
Rain water collection sink
8. Outside Clay Workshop
Clay Workshop Interior
Second Level Plan
1. Bike Storage
2. Mailbox
3. Clay Display Area
4. Gym
Upper Level
2B2B
1B1B
2B1B
Courtyard Perspective
Construction Type
Unit Interior with Clay Wall
Section 1
Section 2
Material Testing
Extract Lime from Local Oyster Shell
1. Cleaning
2. Heat up
1. Filter Dirt
3. Add Water
2. Mix Material
3. Pound in Mold
4. Reveal
Outcomes
Filtered Dirt + Red Clay
Filtered Dirt + white Clay + Red Clay
Filtered Dirt + white Clay + Red Clay +
Oyster shell fragments
Filtered Dirt + Lime from Oyster Shells
Filtered Dirt + Red Clay +
Lime from Oyster Shells
Filtered Dirt + White Clay +
Lime from Oyster Shells