Rammed chalk

The brief for one of our domestic projects, the Chalk House, was to use an ancient technology with modern methods of construction. A careful integration of chalk load bearing structure and timber frame enabled a truly original building to be conceived and delivered. The site was located on natural chalks from which the material for the walls was extracted.

The subsoil was tested at the University of Bath for compressive strength and moisture content to check its ability to be used to construct the 5m high, thermally massive walls. The chalk showed range of capacities from 1.25 -1.7N/mm2 which was sufficient and was rammed into timber formwork, which was then re-purposed as the first-floor structure.