What exactly is a mud house in modern architecture?

A mud house, as you know it, is a simple structure built with the earth found below the top/planting soil. It’s colour ranges from bright red to dark brown depending on the geographic location from where it was dug up.

This earth, often referred to as laterite, is slightly elastic due to the presence of clay in it. The clayey amount found in any laterite depends on location. The presence of clay in laterite is the reason for showing cracks as wet laterite dries out.

The old mud house (a traditional hut) typically consists of a storage space and a communal sleeping area.

Read Also: How to find the Perfect Location for Your Dream Home

Laterite and Clay: Your best block wall for Sustainability

A modern mud house is a house built to suit modern times using a combination of earth-based materials such as clay, laterite, stones, bamboo, lime, natural fibers, etc., combined with modern architectural design techniques. It includes the modern spaces for sitting room, bedrooms with individual toilets/bathrooms, kitchens with pantry and can be fully equipped with modern facilities such as solar systems, smart and automated electrical appliances, etc.

At VolArchy, we design them to be eco-friendly, with naturally cool interiors, durable and full of natural day light. For a favourable indoor tropical weather, our wall thickness and the properties found in a combination of laterite and clay, reduces heat absorption when the sun is shining, keeping the interior cool.

***

Thinking of building with earth materials? Send us a message on WhatsApp and let’s design it right from the beginning.