Straw bale home

Jim Carfrae TOTNES | 2004

“Jenny made it easy to translate the ideas in my head into a tangible framework. She used her considerable skills to pin down the essence of what we were looking for.”Jim Carfrae

A truly sustainable self-build project, Craftedspace worked for The Timber Frame Company Ltd to realise a personal brief for an elegant and innovative home with a Douglas Fir stilt construction.

Designed and built by the team, the bespoke timber frame was part of Jim’s ambitions to build a timber clad straw bale house.

The overall design of the self-build ensures high performance. The straw is non-structural but functions as an external cladding completely encasing the post and beam Douglas fir frame.

This solution means that the straw can be easily renewed without compromising the structure. The building sits on a steeply sloped North-facing site and benefits from a large clerestory window to bring light into the interior.

The timber frame was built by Rob of R.J. Gulley Builders who was awarded Master Builder of the Year 2007 for this project.

Jim Carfae has written a Phd on moisture performance of straw bale construction and works as a natural building consultant in the south west.

Photo 4 by Jim Carfrae

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The house

What is left of a house if you take away its roof, floors and walls?

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