Salix - A Straw Bale Home

“Salix” is a “symbol of the changeable human spirit and immortality” as well as a species willow native to the site.

This 1500 ft sq two-bedroom home on 10 acres of dry highland desert country, often endangered by the potential of wild fires, required serious fireproof planning. The resulting design therefore has plastered straw bale walls,well documented for their fire proof ratings, concrete columns, a metal roof and metal window frames.

Construction sequencing was an important factor in developing the overall design concept. Once the basic concrete foundation was complete, a “family” or series of concrete support columns were poured to support the roof framing over which was laid the metal roof. This allowed next, the straw bales to be laid in dry conditions. As one can see from the floor plan this also allowed us to free form the walls as they wove in and out of the supporting concrete columns, no interior stud walls are used, rather the integrity of the straw bale walls was maintained throughout.

Heating is provided by an under the floor radiant system, as well an efficient wood stove situated in the center of the great room, fueled by ‘standing dead’ wood from the site and adjacent crown forest. Two ceiling fans dissipate the warmed air from the height of the ceiling vault, as well the concrete block mass back of the stove acts as a passive heat sink. Straw bale walls have very high insulation values, the window glazing is double with low e film and the roof has more than the standard insulation.

Summer time cooling is maintained by a light-coloured metal roof, (which is separated from the insulated roof by a screened circulating air space), deep roof over hangs, and open planning with screened opening windows plus augmentation of air movement by the ceiling fans.

This project reflects continuing commitment of our firm to creating sustainable and timeless architecture, buildings that are sensible and related to the site and the owners, buildings that are true to the nature of materials. Too many straw bale homes are just another unimaginative box built of straw bales. To a large degree we implement what we call “common sense green” using local labour (the crew camped on the site, with the owners working alongside) and using locally sourced materials. This minimizes the use of fossil fuels in transport. Natural materials and techniques are given preference over industrial materials and technologies, such that we produce a natural breathing building.

This home has the desired “centered repose” and the potential to add layers of significance to the life patterns of the owners Duane Hamm and Katherine MacNeill.