Hearth House

Fire and earth have existed as foundational elements since the advent of civilization.

Their importance spans cultures and defines how we seek nourishment, how we gather and how we shelter. Our dominion over them serves as both a bridge and the thin veil between humanity and the natural realm. The act of building and cooking is inherently communal. It brings people together and unifies them through shared actions - shelter and sustenance.

The spirit of the Hearth House is derived from its spatial section. A shared hearth made of rammed earth brings villagers and cabin-dwellers together where they can gather over a meal or an evening fire. Rammed earth is a material which endures. It is elemental and its process of construction is steeped in tradition, ritual and a reverence towards the Earth. Just as the space’s use is communal, it is imagined that actual the construction of the structure could be as well. Because rammed earth involves simple construction techniques; villagers, students, professor and interested onlookers could all partake in the dwelling’s creation.

Siting

The building is situated in a natural clearing in the designated forest area. Its careful placement is intended to avoid the removal of any neighboring trees. It breaks from the axis of the other buildings on the farm and instead faces due south to maximize potential solar exposure and is positioned to be narrowly visible when looking NW from the central quad of the farm.