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Given the proximity of straw to our building site, coupled with the “Old World European” look that is accomplished with the wide window-wells and rough stucco exterior, we decided to build a straw-bale/post-and-beam hybrid. Our home was to be the first straw bale home in the counties surrounding the city of Lawrence in Northeast Kansas. We worked with local architect J. Steven Lane, who had previously designed a straw bale home on the prairie in central Kansas, and was interested in ‘Green Construction’. We also worked with interior designer and Feng Shui consultant, Laurie Bornstein, who not only helped us with the siting of the house on the land, but with the overall layout of the floor plan and the design of the cabinetry throughout the house. Rod Harms, of Manhattan (Kansas), had previously built several post-and-beam/straw bale hybrid homes, and agreed to act as our consultant in the construction of our home. Monika and I decided that we wanted to serve as the general contractors. In researching different options for various facets of the building process, we decided to maximize on as many ‘green’ or environmentally-sustainable options that would also work within our budget. We have included pictures of many different stages of the building process online, so that you can get a better idea of the overall timeline it took to construct this house. FEATURES The Eichler’s kitchen won the ‘Natural Kitchen of the Year’ award for 2003 by Natural Home magazine. IMAGES OF THE PROCESS
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STORY
OF THE PROCESS
Taken
on 5/13/01, the ICFs have been fully assembled and are ready
for the concrete to be pumped into them.
Taken on 5/17/01, the concrete is pumped into the ICFs.
Taken
on 5/22/01, the exterior of the ICFs has had a multi-level
waterproofing process applied and drainpipe put down around
the perimeter of the exterior.
Taken
on 5/25/01, the backfilling process begins. Over 200 dumptruck
loads will be required to complete this job. Our neighbor
got the better part of a pond dug in exchange for the dirt.
Taken
on 5/26/01, the backfilling process continued. This process
lasted for several days.
Taken
on 6/27/01, the beginning of the house begins to take shape
as the trusses separating the lower level (basement) from
the main level are now in place. On this day the slab was
poured in the basement.
Taken
on 6/27/01, from the Southwest corner of the basement, looking
toward the Northeast.
Taken
on 7/3/01, the trusses separating the main level from the
upper level are beginning to go up.
Taken
on 7/3/01, the concrete panels which will make the base of
the garage are lowered into place. Four panels were delivered,
two on the back of each of two semi trailers. The first crane
that came to move them into place from the semi was too small.
Taken
on 7/03/01, the concrete panels are now in place.
Taken
on 7/10/01, the exposed ends of the concrete panels is viewed.
Taken
on 7/10/01, this view of the south side of the house reflects
the work that has been completed to date. The trusses and
decking which separate the main level from the upper level
are now in place.
Taken
on 7/19/01, the pad for the garage was poured on top of the
concrete slabs.
Taken
on 7/19/01, the septic tank was installed and the lateral
field is being constructed.
Taken
on 7/19/01, this view of the south side of the house reflects
the progress that continues to occur. Note that the straw
has already been delivered on site (800 bales) and is stored
in the center area of the house, sheltered behind the blue
tarps.
This
view, taken on 7/20/01, is of the house looking at its West
side. The roof trusses have begun to be set and the straw-in-storage
is visible from this angle.
This view, out toward the Southeast on 7/29/01, is taken from
what will soon become under the screened-in porch.
In
this picture, taken on 8/1/01, you can see the stuffing of
the holes in the concrete slabs with fiberglass insulation.
This
picture, taken on 8/3/01, is of the West sides of the garage
and home. The window boxes have begun to be installed.
Taken
on 8/13/01, Chad Bowen, excavator extraordinaire, places rocks
which have been dug out of the house site around the south
side of the house to create a retaining wall.
Taken
on 8/13/01, the crew is putting the final touches on the straw
before the stucco process begins.
Taken
on 8/13/01, this is the first day that the stucco is applied
to the house. The beginning of a multi-month process to apply
three coats of stucco, by hand, to the entire exterior.
Taken
on 8/14/01, the North side of the garage has received stucco.
We make the decision that we want two windows in that wall
in the space above the garage, and decide to hold off on continuing
to put up bales of straw until we can make and secure the
window boxes.
Taken
on 8/20/01, with all window boxes now in place, more straw
is added around the house.
Taken
on 8/29/01, you can see that the areas of the house with exposed
straw has to be covered by plastic or tarps every evening
to protect it from possible moisture.
Also
taken on 8/29/01, the crew has to drape plastic over the straw
at the end of every work day.
Looking
at the South side of the house (on 9/9/01), straw has been
stacked on the first two levels.
Taken
on 9/14/01, the majority of the straw is in place and the
majority of the first coat of stucco is on.
Taken
on 9/22/01, the front door is installed and the stucco is
almost completed on the East side of the house.
Taken
on 9/22/01, the first of the windows begin getting installed
into the window boxes.
Taken on 9/26/01, this is a view of the Southwest bedroom.
The horizontal 2x4’s, called ‘purlins’, are
put in place to give the window boxes something to anchor
to, as well as giving us an anchor for affixing pictures to
the wall, once the plaster is on. The electrical switches
and outlets are also installed to the purlins.
Taken
on 9/30/01, we set about to photograph the location of all
purlins in the house and their relative distance to the subfloor
and/or location to other permanent objects (windows, doors,
etc.).
Taken
on 10/21/01 in the inside of the main level. The initial stucco
has been completed and the walls are now ready for the three
coats of plaster that will be applied over the stucco.
Taken
10/21/01. The first coat of stucco is now complete and all
of the windows are in place.
Picture
taken 10/27/01. We began the second coat of the stucco process
by experimenting with the different colorants that will be
added to the stucco. By the time the second coat was completed,
the house was covered in lots of differently-colored stucco.
Another
picture (taken 10/27/01) in which some of the different subtleties
of the colors can be seen in the stucco.
Here
is a look of the house taken on 1/13/02, shortly after we
moved into it.
Another
look at the house taken on 1/13/02.