Case Study
22
New Build
Studio
Natural materials
Ashley Down
Owner occupier
4
2
292 Ashley Down Rd
BS7 9BQ
Both
The Bristol Green House was built
entirely from natural materials to both
harmonise with the natural environment
and provide a model of sustainable house
building.
Standing on a hill in Ashley Down the
layout has been designed to maximise the
fantastic view of its surroundings while
remaining almost undetectable from the
outside. It is constructed from renewable
and recycled materials like ‘Hempcrete’,
straw, mud and old tyres. It was built by
volunteers, who in exchange for learning
about how to use sustainable materials,
gave their time and labour. The result is an
eye-catching demonstration home not to
be missed.
Rik Lander, a self-proclaimed novice
builder with a thirst for knowledge, is the
main man behind this unique building.
After researching numerous construction
techniques, identifying those which were
least destructive to the environment.
The house was built over the course of
three summers, starting in 2006. Visitors
to the house never fail to be impressed,
Rik says, “They love it, they go ‘wow’ when
they enter the studio. They love the hand
finished feel of it, the way it is built out
of the surrounding environment, and of
course, the view.”
Rik has succeeded in taking a truly
innovative approach to domestic building
and through collaboration has helped
to spread the word about sustainable
building.
For more information on Energy Saving measures, please click here.
Build with natural materials, straw, rammed earth tyres, and hempcrete
To view a summary of this case study and see how this house performs, please click here to download the pdf.
