Houses made out of straw bales

MADE. FROM. STRAW.

This delightful strawbale home nestles into the hillside amid California Live Oaks. Operable windows in the lantern daylight the greatroom and create a thermal chimney that draws cool air into the house by night. Large south-facing windows admit winter sun to heat the house by winter and a built-in cob bench helps store the heat through the night. The house is powered by an off-grid photovoltaic electric system. Co-designed with architect Pete Gang, this house was the first permitted strawbale home in CA to use all earth and lime plasters inside and out. The house was featured in Natural Home Magazine, June-July, 2004