This small-scale design and build project intends to demonstrate and explore further the possibilities of rammed earth construction, meanwhile incorporating and exploring architectural and design solutions with a minimal environmental impact. This in a Western-European context, in this case in Diepenbeek (Belgium, South Limburg).
The design takes into account the vulnerability to moisture of unstabilised rammed earth. Since the bench is situated in an outside environment a plinth and a top cover is foreseen. Blue stone was selected as a material that is local (from Belgium), durable and needs few processing to get from the natural resource to final product. Reused stone was chosen at the depot of Rotor, a provider of reclaimed materials.
The middle part is made of a classic rammed earth mixture, with an even distribution of different particle sizes from clay till gravel of 20mm. The used materials were gathered at a close range (see chapter material library) and the mixture tested during a Carazas test (see chapter Carazas test). Sand and gravel comes from the nearby Maas river, and was processed and organised by size at a gravel processing company. The clay from Boom, and was added in dried, crushed state. No stabiliser or finishing has been added.
The construction happened in winter time, around half november, and was followed by cold (a few times freezing at night) and wet days. This is unusual for such construction, and potential effects of these conditions should be understood within this context (unusually long drying time, damage through freezing/drying cycle).
