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The Earth House

CLIENT

Architects’ Own House

AREA

188sqm (2025 sqft)

LOCATION

Mawittara, Piliyandala, Sri Lanka

PROJECT COST

LKR 12 Million

LAND EXTENT

14 perches

Brief

- Living | Dining | Pantry | Kitchen | Utility
- 3 Bedrooms | 3 Bathrooms
- Study
- Garden 
- 1 Parking

As its name conveys, the main material of the house is earth.


The plan takes a very simple approach towards space planning. Five main rammed earth walls are connected with exposed brick walls to create beautiful spaces in between.


Rammed earth walls are standing against the East-West axis as a high thermal mass towards the morning and evening sun. These ‘breathing’ walls naturally maintain the indoor humidity and thermal comfort.


The house celebrates the beauty of Earth with these exposed earth walls, brick walls, concrete floors and timber flooring, without the need to cover up with plaster or paint, and thus fully toxic free and truly connecting the inhabitants with nature, in a very unique and sincere conversation.


The biggest challenge faced during designing was the odd shape of the land, giving limitations to garden space and placement of the building. However, the building is in optimum orientation with less and smaller windows to the East and West while larger windows to the North and East, in order to reduce heating. More space is left to the garden in the front and rear sides, reducing the building’s footprint, and yet having all the spaces required with optimum planning with no wasted spaces.


The house provides a place of healing with its many advantages towards the physical comfort of the user, and provides a peaceful environment to live and thrive, offering mental and spiritual well-being.

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