We consider the material to have extraordinary promise from both a design and sustainability perspective, and look forward to its broader adoption."
— Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden

Custom Features

• 40 colored test samples were made prior to selection via a full scale mockup

• Curved and colored to blend in naturally with its desert surroundings

• Thirty differently colored lifts with each color specified by the architect

• Over 100 tons of hanging rammed earth above the slot window

Technical Details

• Largest insulated rammed earth wall in the world: 260', 18' high, and 24" thick

• Wall is created of 6"- to 9"-high lifts inside 24"- wide forms

• Thermal resistance of the wall is R33

• Wall is heavily reinforced and utilizes HSS frames cast in at 4' on centre to hang the section above the slot window from the roof slab

• Weather conditions and extreme temperature ranges were a significant consideration (-22°F to +104°F)

• Few control joints and very minimal non-structural random cracking

Awards and Recognition

• World Architecture Festival, Holiday Category Winner, 2008

• Governor General’s Medal in Architecture (Canada), 2008

• Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) Award for Innovation in Architecture, 2007

• Hoston Bakker Boniface Haden Recommendation Letter
  

Learn more about this project on the architect's website.

Location: Osoyoos, British Columbia

Architect / Designer: Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden (now DIALOG)
SIREWALL Expert Team: Terra Firma Builders
General Contractor: Greyback Construction