ARCH HOUSE DESIGN CONCEPT

BY ECO 1 SOLUTIONS

A simple and cost-effective

low-energy method of building sustainable

housing made locally by use of a mold

ECOLOGICAL DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVING

SIMPLE OVERVIEW • A wooden mold is prepared

• Metal plates are prepared

• Rebar is bent and metal plates fitted onto it Rebar and plates are fitted into mold

• Concrete is poured into the mold

• Arch is left in the open to dry

• Dried arch is tipped out and left to dry further

• 5 arches are required for each house

• A mold is also required for cross beams and prepared in the same manner

Metal plates

rebar

NOTE: once the wooden mold has been made It is used repeatedly. It may be possible to use a metal mold

NOTE: update: if we use gigacreteMix then rebar may not be needed

Five arches are prepared (only four shown here) Pre-molded crossbeams are fitted to the top (see blow up below) Lower support beams (or rebar)are fitted Concrete floor is poured The floor can be raised 2 mtrs above ground if required Use bamboo scaffold for support Blow up of arch & cross-section

FLOORPLAN – X indicates arch

open kitchen

living area

balcony (no cladding)

upper floor

X X X X X

…………………………………………8mtr……………………………………...

wc

Footprint of 32 sq mtr With a total of 48 sq mtr living space By having the house on 2mtr high concrete posts living space is increased to a total of 80sq mtr

An extra room could Also be added at ground Level if the house is On stilts – this could Take up half of the Ground floor

CLADDING Cladding for the side-walls and roof can be made from aircrete / papercrete and chicken-wire netting in a mold – or alternatively, plasterboard can be purchased. Both can be finished with a plaster or cement skim. Aircrete panels = cheaper / thicker / stronger Plasterboard = convenient and faster

NO BRICKS NO WOOD FIREPROOF SUSTAINABLE LONG LASTING SECURE VERY LOW COST VERY LOW ENERGY LOW MAINTENANCE ECOLOGICALLY FRIENDLY DISTINCTIVE LOOK

Cladding for the front and back can be from breeze blocks or pre- formed air- crete panels

INTERNAL Viewpoint from front looking to back and showing upper mezzanine floor

WC

OPEN KITCHEN Having the kitchen & toilet/shower located in one small outside area minimises the need for plumbing and maintenance and prevents smells going into main living area

WC and shower

ARCH HOUSE DESIGN CONCEPT Sustainable Living

Tenants should be shown how to grow their own vegetables in raised-bed gardens or pots, save seeds and harvest water . Shower water can be diverted to a fruit tree or filtered for re-use to toilets Fruit from trees can be collected and sold as for community/household Human waste should be treated locally – and resold as compost or cooking briquettes Solar panels can be used for electric – LED lighting and phone chargers Waste household food collection can be organised daily and fed to pigs Pig waste goes into biogas digester creating energy and compost Gas and compost can be sold cheaply to community Pigs are sold to market at six months and/or to community Regular drop-off points for waste paper/glass/cans/plastic

MORE THAN JUST

A HOUSE

MOLD DESIGN

A great option for good thermal insulation is an earth/ living grass roof Tenants can also grow vegetables on the roof

Many design finishes are possible to give the arch houses an individual look