In its simplest form, the earth house
technology consists of building
circular, beehive-shaped houses with
earth-filled tubes placed one on top of the
other with strands of barbed wire between
the layers to provide a Velcro-like grip.

A permanent solution

A long lasting earth home can be built with
no wood , no bricks, no metal - and if necessary
no cement. It just requires the soil from around
the house and the labour of local people. So it's
the ultimate environmentally sustainable
building - and being self-built it gives great pride
to the community.

The walls gradually curve inward at the top to form
a self-supporting, domed roof that needs no
timber for support - an important factor in countries
afflicted by deforestation. The tubes in which the
earth is packed are usually made of woven
polyester, but hessian bags can also be used.

Built by the community that benefits

Sometimes called an 'eco-dome' or ‘Adobe’ house
after the native Indian word for ‘mud’ - one house,
up to 16 feet wide, can be built in a few days by a
family of four. A house can be built for under £400.
Yet it can last decades if  cement is added to the
soil mix or if the exterior is plastered. It can withstand
earthquakes and storms that would destroy most
alternative structures - whether they be temporary
or permanent.  

The technology is fascinating. It's a technique that
can be learnt in a few days. Yet for the 25% of the
world’s population with no material, no money, no
architecture, nothing available  to them except their
labour and the earth under their feet, it presents a
unique opportunity.
A wonderfully elegant housing solution
A permanent home for little
more than the price of a tent
Coils of earth in polyester or
hessian tubes are built up into
an arched dome which is stable,
strong and cool in heat and
warm in cold weather










Here an oil barrel is used as a
temporary shaper for a window.
The coils are compressed to fix.










The dome shape is stable and
strong. Here clay is used to cover
the earth tube coils.











The Earth House can be quite
spacious and makes a
comfortable permanent home.
Providing support where it's
needed. Education, irrigation and
seed-funding for agriculture  
helps people to again become
self-sufficient and secure.
NEST - The New Start Trust
Providing support where it's
needed. Education, irrigation and
seed-funding for agriculture  
helps people to again become
self-sufficient and secure.
NEST helps boys like these find
a home in a caring community
and helps get them off the
street and into education.
Providing support where it's
needed. Education, irrigation and
seed-funding for agriculture  
helps people to again become
self-sufficient and secure.
In many countries the AIDS-based
orphan crisis has overwhelmed
traditional extended family's capability
to manage. Community orphanages
are the best alternative to a family
home - and so much better than no
home at all.
CLICK HERE





Click here to see a short video
about the work of NEST and a
demonstration of how an Earth
House is built