Rammed Earth House Design | Architecture | Process | Get to understand the process of design.

If you’re building a rammed earth house it helps to understand the process of design, and that’s where I come in.
My name’s Clifton Schooley rammed earth house designer, consultant and builder and I have 25+ years in the construction field. Most of that time I have been designing and building with rammed earth.
 
For me, it’s been a long and important journey learning how to make things the proper and most efficient way first time round. To do rammed earth properly I had to learn a whole new skill set compared to those needed to build conventional wood frame homes. Knowing my way around rammed earth work and being able to innovate as required saves money, resources, time and energy. I believe it’s the reason why I have happy customers across the continents.
 
Me, I love taking ideas, the bolder the better, and turning them into building plans, 3D models,  and finally a beautiful, durable home to live in.
 
When we start the design or evaluation, all the pieces and processes are part of a complex puzzle. Each part and process has to fit in at the right place in the right way at the right time – for me this is all part of the fun – but more seriously, the satisfaction of producing beautiful, solid and ideal living spaces with my clients is the best part for me.
 
Ok, so how do we do it.?.. An important factor in my designs are the material quality. I like heavy timber, substantial rammed-earth walls and natural materials.
 
In Canada I learnt from the get go that the harsh climate demands high quality durable builds. In everything you do there you have to stay one step ahead of the climate – it’s a challenge which i came to relish and one  which led to the development of insulated rammed earth walls. These are thick, strong  walls with very high insulative properties keeping homes cool in the summer and warm and dry in the winter.
 
Strong heavy walls also give a sense of security and encourage an organized efficient use of space.  And if you like quirky individualistic design schemes for maximum personalization the medium is highly adaptable.
 
For example we’ve made bass reliefs, colour schemes, special layering and unique features both in and outdoors.
 
To summarize the actual design process in 4 easy stages.
 
Stage I: Concept & Research
 Everything starts with an idea  - we talk to our client and learn about their needs, ideas and architectural preferences in context with the intended site. This way we identify constraints, opportunities and possibilities.
 
Stage 2: Schematic Design
 Here, we translate ideas into rough drawings, floor plans moving these into more detailed 3D modelling. In this way we explore form, space and function before proceeding.

 Stage 3: Design-Development 
As the ideas and practicalities coalesce we begin detailing materials, colour, structure, plumbing, electrics and the all important forming-system most suited to the design.
 
Step 4: Construction Documents
"This is the technical phase. We create the drawings needed to get a building permit and to show contractors how to build the specific type of house. We also offer training in person or remotely to ensure the vision comes to life as intended, should you need it.

 
It’s worth noting that rammed earth is a highly adaptable medium that can be attuned to any climate whether stable or changeable.
 
The 3D modelling part of my work is invaluable as it rationalises the design, avoids errors and lets you know exactly what to expect.
 
Aside from the durability and efficiency of rammed earth, on the ecological side as far as we are able we use natural materials drawn from the local environment.
 And just to let you know far from shying away from quirky designs, we love a challenge -so in the best sense of the phrase, bring it on...
 
Also note that as a designer structural integrity and low to no maintenance builds are my objective, as part of my design ethos I even build-in seismic considerations.
 Yah, I love rammed earth, if you feel the same or just want to explore what’s possible in this unique genre of design, why not call me... We’d love to hear from you.