Prefabricated rammed earth workshop starts in Benevento

Preparing test-samples of rammed earth

The third LearnBIØN-workshop started this week in Benevento, southern Italy. Our partners from AK0 have signed an agreement with Orto di Casa Betania, a local cooperative that practices social inclusion through urban agriculture. Orto means crop-garden and this is what Casa Betania mainly is; a place where persons with disabilities or social difficulties are involved in the production of locally grown crops. On the same plot the cooperative runs a coffee-shop and promotes frequent cultural events. Together with AK0 they now decided to equip another piece of their land in order to host even more activities and the core of the new facilities will be a barbecue-desk made of rammed earth.

AK0 proposed a design that can be implemented with the technique of prefabricated rammed earth. Accurately selected blends of raw earth are rammed in specifically shaped formwork elements in order to build single blocks that can be assembled into wall elements or, as in this case, fix furniture pieces.

The design foresees three such elements called ACQUA, TERRA and FUOCO. The “water” element features a working surface and a sink which will be sealed with a layer of cocciopesto, a mix of lime, sand and crushed, fired bricks; the kind of material the Romans used to make their aqueducts waterproof. This element will allow for the preparation of vegetables or meet to be grilled on the fireplace. “Earth” is a low bench that invites people to sit close to one another and share meals and thoughts. It also integrates some fire for those moments where sitting around a vivid flame makes life more comfortable. “Fire”, the third element offers a a wood storage and the actual fireplace.

According to the LearnBIØN tradition, the team of participants is internationally well mixed. It includes mobility participants from the other European network-partners as well as local participants from the region. Daniele and Gianluca, two former bricklayers and now in charge of facility maintenance at Casa Betania, also joined the team and are giving helpful support.

The program for the first week includes the assessment of local earth samples and the first ramming tests with the assembled formwork.

assessment of earth samples with the method Carazas-Test

formwork for prefabricated rammed earth elements.