Sandbag Construction

A few weeks ago on a recent road trip I came across a fascinating residential construction, made almost entirely out of sandbags and plaster. After pulling over and driving a little closer to get a better look I approached two people who were working on the site. Unlike most experiences involving me satisfying my curiosity by visiting building sites, they were kind enough to let me in and snap some shots.

The technology was fascinating – the house had been entirely hand built over the past 3 years, and was, according to the owner (and one of the builders), fully permitted to meet the area’s building codes. It was clearly labor-intensive work, and a bit of a steep learning curve for the builders, but at the end of it stood what was a very distinct construction that appeared from afar to be a series of earthen mounds. I would recommend poking around on their blog – there are some fascinating photographs documenting the construction, which gives you a good sense of the work involved, as well as the overall result.