FLEXIBLE EARTH: A HOUSING MODEL FOR ADAPTIVE COMMUNITIES

Abstract

Since the 19th-century Gold Rush, Americans have steadily moved westward in search of new opportunities. Even after the end of the Gold Rush, people have found reason to move: the climate, land availability, and perceived health benefits. Between 2020 and 2021, five of the top fifteen cities with the highest population increase were in Arizona, and eleven of them are located in the west (US Census Bureau). This growth has amplified the need for housing and infrastructure. Since the end of World War II, tract homes have been growing in popularity and quantity. Their modularity and repeatability allow for quick assembly, offering benefits such as privacy, perceived safety, affordability, and wide availability. The problems lie in the negative effect this construction type has on the environment, lack of consideration for climate and location, distance from amenities (therefore increasing dependence on automobiles), and the fact that these homes are not always affordable to first-time home buyers or low-income families. This work considers alternatives to conventional tract homes in the southwest through the use of traditional building materials in tandem with contemporary construction technologies. Pre-industrialization and pre-globalization architecture was designed with the location and context in mind, leading to location-specific design that relied heavily on passive strategies suited to the local climate. As the planet continues to see the effects of climate change and extreme weather become more frequent, responding to both the current and future environmental conditions is more important than ever. The solution proposed is automated earth construction, a plentiful and reusable material well-suited to arid climates. Not only is earth readily available, but it is also sound-deadening, insulating, fire-resistant, durable, and non-toxic. However, earth construction remains labor-intensive and costly - not due to the material cost, but the labor - a disadvantage that can be mitigated through computer-automated fabrication.

As computer-automated construction methods - like 3D printing - become more affordable and available, there is an opportunity to combine the speed and scalability of tract home construction with the environmental responsiveness and sustainability of more traditional methods.