What do the Great Wall of China and Salara Residences in El Pescadero have in common? They are both made using one of the oldest known construction methods: the rammed earth technique.
The rammed earth method dates back several thousand years to ancient China in sections of the Great Wall of China and to the Alhambra Palace in Spain. This unique building technique is now being revived as a sustainable building option and can be seen utilized in homes up and down the Baja in locations such as the East Cape, Los Cabos, and now in El Pescadero, a charming farming community 45 minutes up the Pacific Coast from Cabo San Lucas.
One advantage of the rammed earth process here in Baja Sur is the availability of natural raw materials such as earth, chalk, lime, or gravel. By using local materials, there is a cost efficiency to this method while at the same time producing very little waste. A very sustainable way to build in comparison to more modern construction types, with benefits such as low embodied energy, recyclability, high thermal mass, and non-toxicity. Monolithic rammed earth walls withstand earthquake conditions better than block or brick walls. Typically the rammed earth technique works best in climates with high humidity and moderate temperatures.
Rammed earth walls are formed within a framework of two parallel plywood panels. The material is a mix of 20% to 30% clay, sand, and 5% to 10% cement for strength and durability. The plywood frame is filled with a layer of damp earth and then compressed into half its original volume using a pneumatic tamper. The process is repeated until the frame is filled. The plywood is then removed and the free-standing wall is revealed. Walls are typically dry and done in 24 hours and boast a load-bearing capacity on par with concrete.
One aesthetic of rammed earth walls is their earth-toned striations. To get this look, pigment is added to the cement, which during the compacting process, moves to the edges of the plywood form so the colors will be visible on the wall’s outermost layer. Color designs and waves may also be incorporated into this process.
This construction method tends to be slightly more expensive than the conventional building methods due to the labor-intensive aspect of the process; however, due to its environmentally friendly appeal may be worth investigating in today’s competitive building market and heightened focus on sustainability.
One of the most notable uses of rammed earth can be seen at the Cabo Sports Complex in Los Cabos, Mexico. The building was designed by Taller Hector Barroso to host the region’s annual.
This year, the Los Cabos Tenis Open ATP tennis tournament is from July 31st through August 5th, 2023.
Taller Hector Barroso is currently developing Salara Residences, a self-sustainable residential community of ten rammed-earth residences scattered among 5 acres of lush Baja landscape under swaying palms and verdant fruit trees.
The work of Taller Héctor Barroso seeks to generate architectural proposals that are rooted in its environment, taking advantage of the natural resources of each place: the incidence of light and shade, surrounding vegetation, geographical features, and construction materials and methods of the site. Thus, the architecture emerges in harmony with the site, generating spaces with emotional content that evoke memory, highlighting the habitable quality of the architectural exercise. Rammed earth has tremendous potential for the future here in the Baja, just as much as it has in the past.
Please join us on-site at Salara to tour the property and get a first-hand experience of the rammed earth process. All ten residences are in various stages of construction, allowing you to see the process from start to finish. And with four residences remaining for sale, we can help you choose your future rammed earth home in El Pescadero.
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