An important goal of the project was the promotion of natural architecture in Poland, a country suffering from the highest pollution levels in the EU, also due to unsustainable housing practices.
Natural architecture is the most democratic way of building, existing across all parts of the world, and all cultures, for as long as humanity is around. However, in the recent history of the western world, we lost the DIY aspect of building, we exchanged clay for concrete, straw for styrofoam. Project: house was a reminder that home can be built by a community, from local materials. Crowdfunding campaign allowed to gather a large group of enthusiastic and engaged co-creators.
In collaboration with Mech.build studio, a modern, simple design was created. A form inspired by the local building traditions, was to emphasise the beauty of the surrounding nature.
A light wooden construction on massive stone fundations was filled with compressed straw bales, further covered with plaster clay, protecting the straw and providing healthy microclimate inside the building. The floor was insulated with hempcrete – composite of hemp shiv and lime, and the roof with wood fibre mats.
The construction was led in the form of workshops, providing a chance for more than 80 people to be introduced to natural building techniques. The ecological spirit was an important aspect across the construction process. Food for the participants was provided by a local farmer and all the service providers, such as plumbers or electricians, were locally employed.