Anyone know what's going on at 520 N. Newstead (just north of Olive)? For the last several months, some kind of strange, hand-built structure has been slowly rising. It's circular, with what looks like a poured concrete foundation, with sandbags forming the walls above. Clearly not up to code. There's also what looks like an ancient doghouse in front of it.

It's got a kind of "Larry Rice's Domes for the Homeless" vibe about it.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6472127 ... a=!3m1!1e3

Single fam permit was issued last month. 57K.

I may not have the exact address. This Google Street View from May 2015 shows excavation work already underway.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6474406 ... 312!8i6656

I think you got it right... a $20K permit was issued back in 2014 and it looks like maybe some work started but then is getting going again with a new permit.

Interesting. Clearly a do-it-yourself project with some unusual construction methods.

I can't be sure, but might it be a Binishell house? A Binishell dome could be built on a circular concrete pad and you might use sandbags to hold the bladder in place before inflating it. The Architectural Review has a nice article that includes pictures of the construction of an early Binishell structure. Here you can see workers pouring concrete onto the membrane. You'll notice that it's on top of a circular concrete slab.



Later on you can see what appear to be sandbags lining the edge of the dome as they vibrate the concrete.



And they're fairly cheap. They're quite popular in Africa and parts of Asia. As a bonus? They look like they belong in Star Wars. (I don't think any of the Tunisian sites used for filming were Binishells. But . . . it's not impossible.)

There is a neighborhood (Dome Park Place) of those domes just off 35w in Italy, texas.

http://www.monolithic.org/

^ here's the website for these guys... pretty interesting.
http://www.monolithic.org

Detroit is moving ahead with a Quonset Hut village designed by Edwin Chan/EC3
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/busine ... /88929692/

Hi All,

So you found my house! I am building an rammed adobe (earth bag) House. Its going to be 1.5 stories and has taken a some time (1 1/2 years) to build do to the weather. You cant build the walls in the winter and summer rain doesnt help either but it is coming together and 18 months is pretty average for a self-built home so we are doing GREAT i think.

If you have any questions I guess post them here and I will respond. The reason for the house is that it is very eco friendly, energy efficient, and when we are done building the inside will be pretty neat with a bedroom loft and 16ft ceilings in the living room.

any way look up this book https://www.amazon.com/Earthbag-Buildin ... go-ffsb-20 for more information on how we are constructing our house.

-Zachary

Hey, Zach, thanks for the update. Best of luck to you.

Thanks cre8tive, just curious what kind of construction costs, if you mind sharing, for your rammed adobe (earth bag) house?

cre8tive wrote:Hi All,

So you found my house! I am building an rammed adobe (earth bag) House. [ . . . ]
-Zachary

Neat! Good luck to you. I don't doubt you'll have a unique, economic, and quite comfortable house when you're done.

Moving along; windows are going in.

Yeah we have the framing in place and windows ready to install so its moving but bad ice and winter weather are hit and miss you know.

Looks like this place is just about finished; at least on the outside.