Stichting Raw, a project of rural architecture

one of the projects by Raw foundation

Stichting raw is a project made by Raw foundation. This house is built from salvaged and reused materials. It's composed by an open plan with a compact core, containing all usual domestic services and a sleeping platform.

Beyond the study of materials, there is a control on energy efficiencies and qualities increased, so that it fits the rural society reference.

The history of brick: the fundamental unit of western architecture

raw bricks

The invention of bricks changed the destiny of men. In the evolution of architecture, we can find raw bricks already about 6000 yars a.D. They have been used in the construction of babylonian tower (till 16 meters high).

These raw bricks were made with raw clay mixed with straw, shaped in special moulds and dehydrated with sun and air, but they were very brittle and low resistant.

The idea to cook bricks in tilery comes from the roman empire. Cooked bricks were extremely long-lasting and weather resistant. This invention made possible the creation of particular western medieval architecture as arches, bears, roofings and pavements, and the construction of amphitheaters, aqueducts and thermal baths.

Raw concrete in Le Corbusier's work

unité d'habitation (Marseille, France) and couvent la Tourette (Eveux-sur-l'Abresle, France)

Raw concrete is a way to use concrete in architecture: the surface is not covered by a layer of plaster or other materials, to put in evidence the structure of building.

This type of architecture developed in France with the current of the Brutalism, whit the figure of the architect Le Corbusier, who used raw concrete for many of his works.

We can find some examples of his architectures in the pictures above.