DHaus sculpts eco-friendly home from rammed earth in surrey

dhaus employs modern, eco-friendly construction

Sculpted from the land on which it sits, DHaus’ La Terre is shaped by earth wall construction to explore more sustainable ways of building. The family home located in the countryside in Surrey, Southern England, utilizes renewable resources and passive house principles to achieve low energy consumption and craft a harmonious integration of indoor and outdoor spaces. Its earth walls subtly intertwine with the landscape, while horizontal bands create elevated green spaces seemingly hovering in the air. Within, two expansive atriums integrate Japanese gardens into the circulation spaces and allow residents to feel as though they are immersed in the engulfing landscape as they move through the house.

all images by AVR London, courtesy of DHaus

la terre’s earth walls intertwine with the natural landscape

The four-bedroom home features an elevated ground floor, set 0.5 meters above the grass creating an illusion of weightlessness and levitation, reminiscent of historic country homes from the 1940s. London-based practice DHaus paid particular attention to the concept of raised living, sculpting accessible steps that meander in and out of the living areas and articulate the programme. Cast concrete plinths serve as the foundation for the stabilized earth walls, preventing erosion and providing structural stability.

For the building’s construction, the architects utilized Stabilized Rammed Earth, a modern development of the ancient technique which combines modern technology, machinery, and stabilization techniques to create a stronger masonry material. Surpassing the aesthetic qualities of cut stone, the strength of concrete, and the weather resistance of brick, the material achieves optimal environmental performance and poses a more eco-friendly construction alternative.

a natural pond allows inhabitants to connect with nature