The type of structures “fox hole” itself is not new. Studying the history of architecture in different parts of the world in different eras, we came across one very surprising fact in our opinion. A fact that cannot be refuted. People of our time could not but know about the “fox hole”. Scientists, architects, historians could not but know about it. The image of the "fox hole" is in the modern children's encyclopedia! It turns out that such houses, to one degree or another, were used by people of almost all (if not all, which could not be established with absolute accuracy) civilizations, including ours, the civilization of today ...

Initially, a person, not needing all that we call the benefits of civilization, living in nature itself, did not build any structures, since there was no need for this in warm regions. But they were also cold. Imagine if a person was born in a cold area or was accidentally forced to immediately stay in the cold during some cataclysms, what can he build for an overnight stay and from what? Never mind.

If a person was born in a cold area, then he initially had to have the ability to endure cold, otherwise he would simply die out. Every creature always initially has the ability to live in the environment in which it was born. Note that nature gives life to everything: birds, fish, animals, keeping them in balance called life. And did she really create some kind of dependent who needs something else just to live. Deprived. Why would she create such a complex mentally organized creature as a man, endow all animals with the ability to endure cold and deprive a person of such a trifle? Put yourself in her place and answer - where is the logic here? Or maybe we were lied to about the helplessness of man?

Man, born in nature, perceives the world like your own home, your homeland. In nature, everything is interconnected, all creatures are closely interconnected, complementing each other and forming a single chain of life as a whole. Such a person was part of this circle of life, he could use the dwellings of animals living around him for the night: large burrows of wolves, bears' dens, and so on. Not all animals reuse their homes. So a person, without bothering himself, could use a dugout-lair for an overnight stay. PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A HOUSE FOR THE OVERNIGHT, NOT A HOUSE. The house is a living environment.

The temperature in such a structure is always from 0 to +5 degrees Celsius, i.e. it is cool in summer, warm in winter. Many may object that the earth is damp. But if this is so, then would a wolf or a bear live in it? Do you really think animals will live in uncomfortable conditions, try leaving your dog overnight in a damp kennel? In fact, such dugouts are often covered with roots from the inside near growing trees, forming a beautiful pattern and blocking the access of the earth, creating a reliable strong support.

I think that the story of the “fox hole” begins with such “dwellings” - bunkhouses, which were used as animal dwellings.

It is worth paying attention to one amazing fact. Ask yourself: where does the elk sleep (after all, this is our “Russian forest cow”)? In the snow... Not freezing? He sleeps, so he doesn't freeze. Wolves, foxes, hares can also endure even the most severe winters, sleep in the snow? Then why do they need burrows? Incredibly, observations of animals lead to the conclusion that they use their homes not so much as protection from temperature fluctuations, but as a temporary shelter from bad weather, the elements. If it rains, then life in the forest seems to freeze: everyone hides in holes, or simply remains in place without moving until the weather is over: snow, snowstorm, rain or just a strong wind. No birds in the sky, no insects. This means that the fact that animals use any structures (burrows, nests) does not at all oblige a person to do the same. But people, apparently, used dwellings for this reason too.

In the historical encyclopedia we read: “Dwellings in the southern, dry forest-steppe regions were built deep into the ground - semi-dugouts. The walls were timbered. Between the dwellings or in the dwellings themselves there were grain storage pits…. In semi-dugouts along the walls there were benches carved directly from the ground. (“Big Historical Encyclopedia of a Schoolchild”)

Of course, not all peoples used semi-dugouts, it largely depended on the way of life of people. Naturally, it is easier for nomadic peoples to have a folding, lightweight, portable dwelling.
Such houses were also used in the north, by the Vikings: “As you can see, despite the clay walls and earthen floors, the living quarters were quite comfortable ... All the houses were built almost for centuries” (series “Encyclopedia“ Lost Civilizations ”,“ Vikings : raids from the north”)

According to historical facts, only a sod roof is used in the future: “In countries with a harsh climate, such as Greenland or Iceland, there was little wood, so the locals built the walls of their dwellings from stone and sod.”

Houses with sod roofs have survived to this day. The turf layer in this case eliminated the need to maintain the structure. Living roof (in the truest sense of the word) does not require repair! Similar structures are found throughout the Republic of Mari El (Volga region). In abandoned villages, you can find vaults made in a similar way. They stand!

Civilizations that did not know metal used ready-made dwellings of animals, those who knew - semi-dugouts and dugouts, which we now call the "fox hole". Because in order to build at least the simplest "fox hole", you need at least a shovel. So, at first there was a dugout-lair, then a semi-dugout, after that only a sod roof remained.

A few years ago, in one newspaper (the exact name and number, unfortunately, could not be established) there was an article that in the area of ​​Mount Belukha, where, according to the Tibetan monks, Shambhala is located, the Old Believers (as they were called in the article) live in a village. They live just in such semi-dugouts. According to them, people have been living in them for more than 500 years.

Why? Because no magnetic and other waves with fluctuations artificially overestimated by a person penetrate beyond the two-meter earthen layer. A person in such houses is simply not subject to their destructive action. On the outskirts of the settlement, a metal pyramid was built from the scrap metal found by the inhabitants of the village. In their opinion, it collects all the negative energy from the space in which they live, and spews out in the form of lightning. The author describes how he himself saw the pyramid in action. They do not form negative energy, it is evenly distributed over the earth from the source. For example, if you hit your hand, it hurts not only the hand, but the whole body. Given the level of consciousness, the depth of knowledge of the world order, they can not be called a primitive tribe. At the same time, they choose a dugout hill as their home.

Foxy burrow. Part 2: Building a home.

Nowadays They began to talk a lot about ecological houses, developments are underway, projects of such houses are proposed. Among them are many beautiful and comfortable, with autonomous heating systems and power supply from the wind, solar panels etc., self-cleaning water drains, but, nevertheless, all these projects are practically copies of ordinary houses. To this it must be added that all of them, as a rule, are much more expensive than ordinary houses, they also require further constant maintenance, restoration, and binding to the surrounding space that changes over time. Within 20-30 years they morally become obsolete: both architecturally and technically.

Where is the exit?

We want to bring to your attention a well-forgotten design of a house that anyone can build, regardless of material well-being (if there is a desire); at home, becoming stronger and more beautiful over time; practically does not take up space (which is very important for small areas); almost no shadow and constructed from any known building materials or improvised materials available in the area.

This is a project of an earthen structure of the “fox hole” type.

Note that such houses are being built to this day, for example, by the Old Believers in Altai, and in almost any region you can find buildings of this type, if not residential, then economic.
Please do not confuse this building with a dugout, as these are not the same thing. "Fox hole" is an earthen hill. Depending on the wishes of the owner, it can be built with any depth or even be at the level ordinary house.
If the angle of inclination of the walls is 45 degrees, then it will practically not create a shadow, because. the angle of the summer solstice at the latitude of Moscow is approximately equal to this. A slight shadow is created in the morning and evening hours from the west and east of the building.

Why does it take up almost no space?

Yes, because the hypotenuse is always larger than the leg, and since the embankment of the house is earthen, it can be used for planting from all sides and from above (strawberries, raspberries, shrubs, flower beds, etc.). It is even possible to plant small trees, under certain conditions, which, in general, creates unlimited possibilities in the design of the external design of your building and quickly and cheaply change it to your desire. Imagine: a flowerbed house, it can be different every year. That's where the unplowed field for fantasy.

Why is it getting stronger?

Yes, because every year the earth is more compacted, and the roots of grasses and shrubs hold the surface layer together so that even if all the internal supports are removed, it will still hold itself. Go to an unplowed meadow. After all, its entire space is pitted with burrows of moles, mice, worms, but the ground under you does not fall through. Do not be afraid of the penetration of the root system of plants into the house, from this there is simple defense… IN winter time such a house becomes even warmer, as it is covered with snow blankets, and the snow load does not create additional weight due to the freezing of the upper earthen layer. An example of this is ice on rivers. Inside such a house, for any outside temperatures the positive temperature is maintained, even without heating, which means that the heating of the structure requires a minimum of energy consumption. Its walls are always breathing. It is cool in summer.
With properly constructed ventilation, there is no dampness in it, but there is also no dryness that occurs in apartments in winter, and humidity and cold when the heat is turned off, which is mainly the cause of damage to furniture, dampness of wallpaper and clothes, cracks in the walls , jamming and drying of doors and windows.
Interior decoration houses can be made from any materials, even from wood, as there are cheap, well-forgotten ways to protect it from external conditions. You can also make walls inside from improvised materials: clay, willow, reeds, straw, cattail, wild stone, etc.
To be convinced of the other advantages of the Fox Hole project, let's consider it in comparison with a traditional house of the same area and made of the same materials with a conventionally taken area, say, 100 square meters. m.

What is a traditional house made of?

A solid solid foundation is the basis of any house that is built to last for centuries. Then basement, walls, ceilings, roof. A few auxiliary little things, such as: water drain trays, drainage pipes, gables, hems, light and ventilation windows, blind area, window trims, etc. - which, by the way, requires far from small costs, money and time, periodic repairs. In regions with a large snow cover in the spring, the problem of snow avalanches coming off the roofs or pushing them through from the weight of the snow is added. And the roof itself is an expensive pleasure. Good, made of galvanized iron or glazed tiles, not everyone can afford.

And what do we have in the fox hole?

Just walls and ceilings that themselves serve as a roof. Note that the walls are much thinner, since they only serve as a deterrent from shedding the earth (with a bunding thickness of one and a half meters, there is no need to worry about heat capacity: up to the seventieth parallel, they can practically withstand any frost). Roof waterproofing can be made of ordinary roofing felt in 2 layers (the most cheap material), but you can do without it if you have a good clay castle (made of well-mixed clay) 15-20 cm thick or birch bark that does not rot in the ground for hundreds of years and is not afraid of fires, while keeping heat perfectly (yes, yes, this is not typo: there are such old technologies). A layer of earth on the roof with a thickness of one meter a year after laying is not able to wet any downpour. Snow waters come off more evenly, and the ground under the snow is always a little frozen, which perfectly restrains the penetration of water into the depths. Lower ice crusts are not formed, which means there is no likelihood of an avalanche coming down (and there is practically nowhere to go). All that is needed is good diversion ditches around the entire building with a slope to one side, sown with good grass (instead of concrete, iron or other trays), for example, bent grass, wheatgrass, etc. Foundations are also not needed or are needed purely symbolically for supports, since there is nothing to freeze through, and therefore, there is no swelling of the soil. And if this house is made of red baked brick with a wall thickness of half a brick, concrete, mesh reinforced, branches, etc. 5-7 cm thick, from boards with load-bearing beams arched structure, then he is able to endure colossal loads (examples of this are bridges).

Interior decoration is like a regular house, although there are many ways to save money and time, not counting durability. For example, floors that can be left earthen by covering them with mats (mat from natural material). Or lay it out of tiles, laying it on a screed of light and warm concrete (there are some) or make it from wood, putting it on small spacers, or the same concrete on the principle of "floating parquet". In any case, this does not require floor slabs or massive wooden transfers.

Next, consider the main reasons for distrust of the structure "Fox Hole":
- unusual appearance
- fear of flooding
- Fear of damp indoors
– penetration of rodents and insects
– illumination
- collapse of the structure

Unusual appearance- the argument is certainly weighty, but let's look around and ask ourselves what is more pleasant to see: a house with rickety walls or chipped plaster, covered with "wonderful" inscriptions, with a dilapidated roof, etc. or a flower bed, or a neat lawn, or a dwarf garden with a pergola or gazebo entwined with grapes, hops, etc.

Of course, a beautifully executed facade of a house with fashionable architecture is also a pleasant sight, but for how long? After all, fashion architectural styles it changes so quickly, some 20-30 years and the style becomes morally obsolete. Try to change the façade of a stone or wooden building… Besides, time brings its destructions, and with them the worries about restoration. Another thing is an alpine hill, or a flower garden, or a lawn. You can change it at your discretion at least every year, and small trees or shrubs with a creeping root system (juniper, lilac, jasmine, Christmas trees, etc.) against the backdrop of a hill will create a stable landscape.

Fear of flooding- a very serious thing, but nowhere is it said that this building should be built in a swamp, or in a river floodplain, or a foundation pit. Even if your site is relatively damp, diversion ditches can be built. From the penetration of spring upper waters it will save a thick layer of earth embankment of the house and an elevation of 50-60 cm from the general ground level of the entrance to the room.
The deepening of the house itself depends on the level of groundwater and the desire of the owner (at least burrow under the ceiling, at least don’t burrow at all).

Dampness in the room occurs mainly due to poor ventilation, or low heat capacity of the walls, or an improperly located heating system. The heat capacity of the walls with a 1.5 meter embankment will not raise doubts, but the ventilation and heating system is in your hands. Probably, many have seen moldy walls, falling off wallpaper and plaster in quite good-looking high-rise buildings, planned and built by professionals in their field.

To the question aboutrodent penetration, moles and other unwanted neighbors, you can only add a few words. Our high-rise buildings are no less infested with mice and rats, despite the fact that they are made of brick and concrete, a material supposedly inaccessible to rodents. I had to meet rats and mice on the 14th floor. Ants and cockroaches have become, as it were, an integral part of our everyday life (those who do not have one can see an abundance of chemical means of protection against these cohabitants in stores). Moles do not dig their passages to such a depth, as they hunt for worms that feed on the remains of vegetation and are in the fertile upper layer of 30-50 cm. Yes, and he prefers to bypass the walls, rather than break them open. For the ants to make moves in a one and a half meter wall, for us to dig a three-kilometer tunnel underground to a bread shop located opposite your house. All these neighbors need a home and food. Moreover, they equip the house only next to the food base. They don't need food and they don't need a home. So keep food supplies in special rooms and live peacefully without all these worries.

Fear of roof collapse also not substantiated. The dugouts, covered with earth, even withstand the bombing. We don't think it's a threat. And a layer of earth 1-1.5 m thick can withstand even logs 15 cm thick protected from moisture, but an arched structure made of any materials on a sand cushion is even better (it’s not worth talking about floor slabs). In a year or two, the roots of the plants will hold everything together so that the soil will hold itself.

The question of lighting remains.. This question will be covered more broadly, since it has many options.
Let's start with traditional windows in the walls at our usual level of 80-90 cm from the floor level. This is quite possible, only it is necessary to provide for small “loggias” around the window when laying the walls, since there is an earthen rampart on the sides and top of the window. An earthen rampart can reach almost to the level of the window from below, but this is not scary. It can be overlaid with tiles, bricks, wood and anything, or you can just plant flowers or arrange a mini-greenhouse for fresh greenery. Heat leaks will serve the cause of "prosperity" (greenery in our case). If you do not like the land with a flower garden at the window level, we will resolve this issue. It is enough to insulate the space under the window with outer side wall thickening or glass wool, cattail, straw, etc.

Rice. 1 Traditional loggia window with glazing

Traditional windows with a loggia with earth filling. Glazing from the outside and getting a mini-greenhouse is possible.

It is advisable to make one window per room, albeit a large one, and to save heat, insert triple-glazed windows (albeit expensive) or glaze them from the outside like a regular loggia or greenhouse. If heating is introduced there, then you will get a mini-greenhouse or " winter Garden» (depending on the wishes of the owners). And in order to get an impression of this type of windows in advance, look at the world from the window of an apartment that has a loggia. And you must admit that you do not see what is on the sides of the loggia: an earthen rampart or a neighbor's loggia, just like above it: a neighbor's loggia or a growing tree.

The next type of windows are skylights. They can be located in the walls at the level of the ceiling or in the ceiling itself and have a different shape (see Fig. 2, 3, 4). That's where the scope for imagination. Can you imagine a living room or dining room where you, sitting in your favorite rocking chair by the fireplace or fish tank, can simultaneously admire the starry sky, or the views of clouds at sunset, or the flight of butterflies over flowers or hanging bunches of grapes, while being in a cozy bedroom . Or "sleep under your own star."

All this is possible in the presence of an anti-aircraft window of the “dome” type (see Fig. 6). Technically, the implementation of these windows is not difficult. The fear of snow blockages is also not justified. After all, the window is located above an earthen hill, and even a child is able to remove snow with a broom or brush at the end of the snowfall. The second and third glazing can be provided from the room at ceiling level (albeit with stained-glass windows). Or put a mini-greenhouse outside, where, again, heat leaks will serve the cause of prosperity. And you can just put attic double-glazed windows (Fig. 7).

Rice. 6. Top - zenith window (mansard double-glazed window). And below is an example of a triple-glazed dome window.

There remains only one unsolved question: where to get so much land? You can just buy it. There is no cheaper building material. But there are other ways, for example, digging wells, ponds, diversion ditches. If you don't want that, there are other ways...

Also among the advantages of the "Fox Hole" it can be noted that such a house cannot be "taken away", disassembled for spare parts, burned, painted, etc. But it also has two significant drawbacks: the first is unusualness, the second is that this house is not intended for workaholics: it will not have to be repaired every year and there is too little maintenance work.

If all of the above has interested you, let's go directly to several projects of such houses.

Foxy burrow. Part 3: Projects of houses.

The idea of ​​a family estate. Who is she targeting? On people with different abilities, but united by one goal: "I can no longer be unhappy." Those who consider themselves happy already in this world may not finish reading. Many people are already ready to live simply in harmony with the surrounding world and nature. Others would like to combine the natural with the familiar in their family estate, i.e. the blessings of civilization. For these two fundamentally different categories of people who want to embody the idea of ​​a family estate, we offer two fundamentally different approaches to designing houses of the “fox hole” type.

Approach one combines: simplicity, functionality, practicality, maximum merging with the surrounding space with minimal material costs and time for building maintenance.

Second approach combines the principles of the former with modern amenities and appliances, architecture and landscaping. In this case, you choose the degree of merging with nature yourself - the most acceptable for you at a given time, up to the complete transfer of all the amenities of the city to the settlement.

Now, using the first approach, we will describe one of the simplest and most accessible houses of the “fox hole” type (see Fig. 1). (Note: the drawings show house designs that are closest to modern ones, which, of course, is not at all necessary. The houses themselves look quite large and look like cottages. This is not so: just due to the embankment, the house seems larger than it really is. Its living area is the same as that of an ordinary house).

Rice. 1. “Fox hole”

It should be noted right away that interior layout of any house of the "fox hole" type is not at all tied to external form and design of your home. Also distinctive feature is that you are not at all obliged to place the rooms close, you can remove them from each other at any distance, connecting them with corridors (see Fig. 2, 3).

This gives unlimited possibilities when planning a house, reducing heat loss between rooms (it’s hot in the kitchen: dinner is being cooked, it’s cool in the next room) and high sound insulation, which is very important for large families, at minimal material costs. As well as the ability to add additional space in case of an increase in the family without losing the external design, the so-called "growing" house.

In the second approach, consider the two most significant types of houses for the "settlers". These are house-complexes, or house-gallery. The first type is a horseshoe house, the second is a closed house - a gallery. Let's consider the first one (see Fig. 4).

The peculiarity of the horseshoe-shaped house is that its front part ( patio) are modern, and the front one completely merges with nature. The house has two main entrances from opposite sides. At the front entrance you invite business associates, urban relatives who accept nothing but modern conveniences, important guests. And on the backyard - their real friends, like-minded people. Here you are in the “city” (being in the front yard), you have worked, you have taken a few steps and you are in the virgin forest, or your garden, or kitchen garden, etc. And no one may even know that you have a house here - an ordinary “hill”. They think you have a normal house or even a cottage. And you spend your time so modestly, looking at a flowering garden, which, by the way, very few rich people can afford. After all, the garden is grown by you. This is your success, dear, that's why you are so happy. And they planted it by professionals: beautiful, but dead. That is why rich people change their dachas so quickly. After all, this is not their success, this is the success of the designer. And he does not bring them joy ... That's the secret.

The second house, along with all the advantages of the first, has its own distinctive features. If you want to live in modern house, but at the same time its appearance should not spoil the natural landscape - it is for you (see Fig. 7). It can be a house - a gallery of any shape (circle, oval, square, triangle, hexagon, etc.) with a patio. It is convenient in that it is possible to approach all rooms both from inside the house and through the yard along the shortest path. In the general landscape of the site, it does not visually bulge and does not absorb the surrounding space.
For those who find it difficult to move from "civilized" architecture to nature and simplicity, the patio is a real find. In it you can organize a pool, or a fountain, or you can do it all together. Concrete paths or lawn. You can even glaze the entire upper space of the patio.
The walls facing the courtyard can be made "classic", i.e. leave open, from those building materials from which the house is built, revet with tiles, wild stone, marble, clapboard, etc. In a word, whatever you want. And you can also make an embankment, turn it into a lawn or a flower bed and equip a mini-garden with grapes, cherries, Christmas trees inside the courtyard ... Organize a decorative pond without fear that water and tree roots will fit into the house (do not forget about diversion ditches or gutters). The people around you will not think that you have everything there! External bunding, after all, can be simple.
On top of such a house-complex, you can put a gazebo with a circular view, or a summer unheated room. Summer kitchen, but you can place it inside the yard. You can set up hives, and if the hives are decks, then you can line them up in a fabulous ensemble. You can even put up greenhouses (they won't obscure a lot of light) or just organize a mini-garden. Your possibilities are endless!
As you can see, all these houses are characterized by one thing - a combination of opposites: civilized and natural. What's more, you can freely choose the ratio of living and dying elements in your home!

In addition to everything, we can say that this project can be completely autonomous: water supply, sewerage, etc.

Hello? - She pressed her lips to Paul's smooth, slightly damp forehead, at the same time trying to make out who it was to them - Bree was supposed to appear only in an hour.

Mrs Henry?

The nurse from David's new office called - a month ago he was accepted into the hospital staff. Nora had never seen her, but her voice, warm and resonant, seemed to her to be a middle-aged woman, strong, with a high fleece. Caroline Gil, who held Nora's hand during the tearing fights, the one whose attentive look and Blue eyes inextricably linked for Nora with the crazy blizzard night of her birth, simply disappeared - a mysterious story that gave rise to a wave of gossip in the area.

Mrs. Henry, this is Sharon Smith. Dr. Henry on an urgent call, and most importantly, do not believe it, they called exactly at the moment when he was already leaving home. There's been a terrible accident on Leestown Road. Teenagers driving, well, you can imagine. Injuries are serious. Dr. Henry asked you to inform. He'll be home as soon as he's finished operating.

And how long will it take? Nora asked. The air smelled of fried pork and stewed cabbage and potatoes, David's favorite dish.

Unknown. They say the guys are terribly crippled. Between us, honey, it's not for one hour.

Nora nodded, listening to the sounds in the house. Opened and closed Entrance door, then steps, familiar, light, in the hall, living room, dining room: Bree came for her nephew so that Nora and David could spend the evening together on the eve of Valentine's Day, their anniversary.

Nora's idea, her surprise, David's gift.

Thank you for calling,” she told the nurse and hung up.

Bree appeared in the kitchen, bringing the smell of rain with her. The boots, visible from under a long cloak, reached her knees, and her slender hips were barely covered by a skirt - as they say, there is nowhere shorter. Sparks of light danced in silver and turquoise earrings. Bree, currently the administrator at the local radio station, rushed straight from work, her bag almost bursting from books and notebooks: Bree was also studying.

Wow! Putting her bag on the locker, Bree held out her hands to Paul. - Amazing, sister! It is incomprehensible to the mind how in such a short time you have transformed the whole house!

You have to do something,” said Nora.

For many weeks she steamed old wallpaper, then painted the walls. She and David decide to sell the house, hoping that the move, like his new job, will help you get away from the past. Nora, who wanted more than anything to forget her loss, devoted herself entirely to furnishing the house. Alas, the repair was less distracting than we would like, and in the soul, as before, often, like a tongue of flame in smoldering coals, the awareness of its loss flashed. In the last month alone, she had twice invited a nanny for Paul and ran away from home, from unpainted frames and rolls of wallpaper, and drove the car along narrow village roads to a private cemetery, where, behind iron gates, among low, sometimes very old, almost buried in the ground gravestone rested her daughter. Phoebe's name and a single date were carved on a modest, pink granite monument. Nora knelt on the prickly, frozen grass from her dream. The harsh winter wind ruffled her hair violently. She was numb with grief, longing biting into her chest so that she did not have the strength to cry.

And yet she returned home only after spending a few hours in the dreary cemetery.

Paul burst into laughter as he tried to grab his aunt's hair.

Your mom is something! Bree told him. - Look for such a housewife. Oh, no, my sun, but not the earrings! She took Paul's hand away.

Housewife? Nora fumed. - In what sense?

Yes, in none. Bree was making faces at Paul and now looked up in surprise. - For God's sake, Nora, do not boil.

Housewife? she repeated again. - I tried to make our house beautiful on our anniversary. What's wrong here?

Nothing. Bree sighed. - Everything is very cool. I told you. And I came for Paul, so why are you angry?

Nora waved her hand.

Pay no attention to me. David has an urgent call.

Just a fraction of a second too late, Bree nodded.

Then it is clear.

Always ready to justify her husband, Nora opened her mouth - and stumbled.

Bree,” she moaned, pressing her hands to her cheeks, “why today!

Disgrace, - Bree nodded, and Nora's lips pursed literally by themselves. Bree laughed. - Come on. Be honest: David may not be to blame, but you still blame him, right?

He not guilty, said Nora. - Somewhere on the road there is a serious accident ... Damn, okay, you're right. All this is disgusting. Reverse-reverse, satisfied?

I totally agree with you,” Bree said surprisingly gently. - This is a natural disgusting, and I'm very sorry, sister. Bree smiled. - Listen, I brought you and David a present. Maybe he can give you some comfort.

Putting Paul on one arm, Bree slipped the other into an oversized quilted bag and fished out a couple of books, a chocolate bar, a pack of flyers calling for a demonstration, sunglasses in a shabby leather spectacle case, and finally a bottle of wine. With the dexterity of a magician, holding the baby to her elbow, she uncorked the bottle, poured it into glasses, and the wine shimmered with a pomegranate sheen.

For love,” Bree said, handing Nora a glass and raising hers. - For eternal happiness

and bliss.

Both laughed and solemnly, to the accompaniment of streams of rain from the drainpipes, drank wine - dark, fruity, with a slight oak tint. Years later, Nora will remember this evening, her gloomy disappointment and her sister, who brought into the house alluring symbols of another world: shiny boots, earrings, energy; bright as light. How wonderful it all seemed to Nora, how unattainable and distant. Then she will understand that the darkness in which she lived was called depression, but in 1965 they didn’t talk about it, but what’s there - they weren’t even supposed to think about it. Especially Nora - with her house, child and husband, a doctor. She should have thanked fate.

By the way, what's up with your old house? Sold? Bree added wine to the glasses. - Did you accept the offer?

Still have not decided. Actually, we expected to get more. David is ready to agree, just to get it over with, and I... don't even know. After all, our first home. I still regret leaving him.

She imagined a house, empty and dark, a "For Sale" sign in the yard, and the world around her suddenly became very shaky. She swayed, leaned against the table, took another sip, and changed the subject.

Better tell me how your love life is. What's up with that guy like his - Jeff?

Ah, you're talking about this. - A light shadow slid across the face of the younger sister. As if to throw it off, Bree shook her head. - Didn't I tell you? I return home two weeks ago and find him in bed - in mine by the way, beds - with one candy that worked with us at the headquarters in the mayoral elections.

What are you! I'm sorry.

Bree grimaced.

It would be something to regret. I didn't love him or anything. We were good together - that's all. At least that's what I thought.

Did not love?!

Nora herself was disgusted by the indignantly contemptuous intonations of her mother, which sounded clearly in her voice. The last thing she wanted was to be the woman who drank cup after cup of tea in the disciplined silence of her childhood home. However, Nora liked the present one no more: with her grief, she closed herself off from a world in which she did not see the point.

No, she didn't. In fact, I thought I could fall in love. But the thing is different: he turned

our relationship in a vulgar cliché. That's what's really disgusting - being a cliché.

Bree put down her empty glass and moved Paul to her other arm. Her face, unpainted today, was perfectly charming; cheeks and lips flushed.

I could not live like you,” Nora said. From the moment of the birth of Paul and the death of Phoebe, she seemed to herself a sentry in continuous service: if you relax for a second, a new misfortune will fall. “I just… don’t know how to despise the rules. Destroy everything.

I will sin with copy-paste, I really liked the article.
Our settlement is really famous for its fox holes. And even in addition to the “official” name Rodniki, the variants Lisienorsk and Norouralsk were offered. But we can boast more about the number of holes than the creative originality of the projects (although in the future, convinced burrowers - I'm sure - will show the wonders of architecture. Projects of 8-sided and round fox holes are already being hatched). It so happened historically that the three burrows now inhabited were built in order to get a finished dwelling as soon as possible, spending little money.
In addition to these 3 inhabited heated holes (Nina Ivanovna Fetkulova, Nadia Rubtsova, Tanya Skomarokhova), there are 2 already filled in, but without interior decoration and without a stove, and (Volodya Simakhin and Andrey Beloborodov) another 1 small (2.5x2.5 m) adapted under the summer house (Okulovsky). In the next couple of years, at least 4 more families promise to build fox holes for themselves.

Such popularity is associated with the advantages of such a dwelling:
1. Construction speed. One of the holes (Nadya Rubtsova) was brought to a habitable state (with a stove and interior decoration) in 2 weeks from scratch (a hole dug by an excavator), of which it took 3 days to build a frame, sheathing and backfilling. Of course, with the help of neighbors.
2. Cheapness. In almost all our projects, the main materials are round timber and unedged boards.
3. Low repair costs. Since the facade is reduced to a minimum and the roof is covered with earth, they do not need to be repaired.
4. Indoor climate. In winter, residents spend REALLY LESS firewood (at -30 they heat 1 time per day) than their neighbors in log cabins. They can leave for several days and not heat without the risk of freezing the dwelling (although in practice we still heat each other's stoves in the absence of the owners). In summer, the house is pleasantly cool.
5. No need for an official building permit (advantage for those who are afraid of visitors from the land committee). Although Ukraine, for sure, has its own specifics.

Disadvantages of fox holes:
1. The earth, like reinforced concrete slabs, has shielding properties, that is, it is an obstacle to natural cosmic radiation. People who are sensitive to subtle energy feel it as an internal discomfort. Therefore, it is better for such people to build wooden houses that are transparent to radiation.
2. The inability to look out the window, the desire to be on top of the earth are also serious psychological factors.
For me personally, these 2 shortcomings are very significant. Therefore, I myself live in a log house. Apparently, for the same reasons, the inhabitants of all three inhabited burrows dream of moving to the surface in the future. While the settlers, who still do not have any housing on the estate, dream of fox holes.

The oldest burrow (the house of Nina Ivanovna Fetkulova) was built in 2004, the other two in 2006. Filling - from 0.5 m to 1 m. The experiment was a success: the owners are generally satisfied with their dwellings.

About waterproofing. In all 5 cases (except for the Okulovsky summer micromink, I don’t know about it), roofing material or bicrost was used. It was placed under the lower trim (almost everyone except Volodya Simakhin has it on the ground, and he has it on bricks), they also sheathed the wall boards from the outside. To be honest, I don’t really like this option: it interferes with the natural balance of moisture between the ground and the house (according to the theory, loamy soil regulates the humidity itself and maintains it at an optimal level). But I don't know any other options. Maybe plaster the walls outside with clay, dry it and fill it up? Clay plaster protects wood from decay.
Humidity in the room probably depends on the type of soil and the depth of groundwater. We have loam, water at 5..7 m. Experience shows that dampness does not occur in a heated fox hole. Only Tanya Skomarokhova faced the problem of dampness: she has a cellar attached to the hole, and from there dampness pulls through the door. She also noticed the wetting of the ceiling in the corner and the rotting of the boards: there, probably, the backfill is insufficient and the roofing material is damaged somewhere. Or maybe condensation? It may well appear on the roofing felt from the side of the boards, if the room is damp from the cellar.
Tanya was also the only one whose burrow suffered from earth load. After a year of operation, the ridge beam gave a noticeable crack, and it was necessary to support it with a column in the center of the house. The length of the beam is 4 m, the diameter is about 16-18 cm, there is a large knot at the point of breaking. I must say that the logs were used from the burner, which also affected the strength. (Nadya Rubtsova has a ridge beam with exactly the same characteristics that works properly). The conclusions are as follows: use a log thicker and with a minimum of knots. And, most importantly, rest the rafters against each other in order to redistribute the load on the walls. At the same time, attention should be paid to the quality of the upper wall trim. Although, according to our standard project, numerous boards of walls (perpendicular to the ridge), as well as the ground itself, should protect the walls (parallel to the ridge) from driving around.
I must say, Tanya's hole is generally a phenomenon. Our settlers built there, but the work was poorly organized, no one knew the project. They did it, one might say, at random. Now I look and am surprised: the distance between the rafters is 133 cm and the crate is made of an inch (!). Thumbelina caved in under the weight of the earth, but holds! Of course, all other holes are built more intelligently.
You ask about racks. Everything is alright with them! They're not going anywhere.

Various smart people advised to do ventilation through two vertical pipes. However, it has not been implemented anywhere, and no one has yet suffered from it. Although it is possible that it would be even better with her, including in such “clinical” cases as Tanya Skomarokhova’s.
The windows in all our holes are from the facade, and the facade is from the side of one of the gables.
In two more burrows (at Nadia Rubtsova and Nina Ivanovna) ceiling windows were made. Before installing the first one, we argued for a long time: is it worth it? There were fears about lakes of condensate, about rainwater flowing under the glass, under the frame, about hail breaking the glass, about the fact that in winter it would be swept anyway ... They did it and saw: IT WORTH!!! There was no water leakage, the hail did not damage either (the upper glass is tempered), the snow does not cause inconvenience and is easy to clean. True, Nadia still had some condensation. But even this did not overshadow the satisfaction from the window: bright, but soft, pleasant diffused light from above and from the side illuminates the house until sunset.
No condensation was noticed on the second window (at Nina Ivanovna's).

I give a typical project, according to which the three mentioned now inhabited burrows were built (the other 3, brought under the roof, are also very similar in design). True, I drew only the initial stage. Further it will be clear from the description. Our burrow sizes range from 2.5x2.5 to 4x4.

1. The pit is being dug larger than the intended burrow. For a 4x4 hole, they dug a 5x5 m hole. Our average depth is 1.5 m.
2. Roofing material is laid on the bottom along the perimeter of the future frame.
3. We put 4 logs of the lower trim on the roofing material, connect them into half a tree, align them according to the level (it is possible with some error), adjust them until the diagonals are equal and fix them with brackets. Alternatively, you can put the bottom harness on bricks. In our area, the main soil is loam, so it can be considered trustworthy, and the pillars should not be buried deep.
4. We install 4 posts at the corners of the lower harness (length = 180..200 cm): for a good fit, we trim either the strapping logs or the pillars. Of course, we check on a plumb line. We fix it with temporary cuts, from a slab, for example (not shown in the figure).
5. We install central pillars in the middle of sides A and C (length 250..300 cm). We fasten them with a slab with corner posts.
6. Install the ridge and beams. It is recommended to take longer than sides B and D according to the project in order to provide a canopy from the side of the facade.
7. Install the rafters. In our projects, they rely on the skate, but it's probably better to rest them against each other. The distance between the rafters is 80..100 cm. When using a canopy from the facade, it is necessary that one pair of rafters is just above the logs and pillars of side A.
8. Intermediate posts are cut on each side. In the 4x4 project, we had 2 of them on each side.
9. The walls of the resulting frame are sheathed on the outside with boards (25 mm) and roofing material. The front wall needs to be insulated additionally.
10. A crate is stuffed onto the rafters and roofing material is placed. We have a crate of 25..30 mm, but it is better to make it thicker, or the rafters more often.
11. Well, there, windows, doors and all that. Then interior decoration.


That's all.

DIY home » Helpful Hints» Construction of a house of the type "Fox hole"

13-04-2011, 21:19

There is hardly any other place where you can feel such security as in a bunded building. The secret is simple and I learned this secret on the pages of the site www.ibrus.ru - energy and the spirit of the earth literally permeate the structure under the turf dome. Natural grounding of the building relieves stress, removes electromagnetic fields caused by stray currents, which is typical for multi-storey reinforced concrete structures.

Here, shutdowns of heating plants and power outages are not terrible, since an elementary wood-burning hearth is enough to maintain a comfortable temperature. Habitually monotonously flicker outside the window of the electric train holiday villages. Booths, huts, houses, houses, houses ... And behind all this pile of construction, the main thing is not visible - the beauty of the cultivated land. And the houses themselves (or rather, cases) are empty for most of the year. In cold weather, warming them up for an overnight stay (15-16 ° C) is problematic: while the walls are warming up, it's time to get ready for the city.

In a bunded house, water in pipes or in a kettle will never freeze, and at a minimum cost it is easy to create comfortable living conditions. The lack of natural light can be compensated by the installation of transparent roof elements (antiaircraft lamps), the efficiency of which is much higher than traditional windows.

Fig. 1 Plan of a house of the "Fox hole" type for a small area:
1 - veranda (14.0 m2);
2 - kitchen (12.0 m2);
3 - room (20.0m2);
4 - vegetable store (18.0 m2);
5 - greenhouse (18.0 m2);
6 - pantry (1.3 m2);
7 - bench-locker;
8 - pit-water absorber

Modern bunded structures can be the most for various purposes: these are premises for livestock, garages for agricultural machinery, etc.

Dugouts of the third millennium - from elite mansions to hobbit minks

e. Houses built using the simplest materials ( expanded clay concrete blocks, sandbags, logs, soil blocks) can help solve the acute housing problem of many categories of the population - refugees, migrants, etc.

This type of bunded houses received our code name "Fox hole". Our architectural studio is ready to help develop projects for both small buildings and entire public complexes (sports, cultural, etc.). Let's see how for a small garden plot you can build a small house, lined with earth.

Manufacturing jobs. At the first stage, a common pit is torn off with a depth of 0.5-0.8 m and a size of 0.5 m more than the dimensions of the future building. The soil is piled around the perimeter of the embankment. On the bottom of the pit they make strip foundation 400 mm thick and 250 mm deep made of M300 concrete reinforced with a mesh of ZF6A-1. Under the strip foundation, a preparation 150 mm thick is laid from sand and gravel mix. On the top of the foundation - waterproofing from two layers of roofing material on bitumen.

The walls of the house are being built of red brick Ml00 on cement-sand mortar M50: up to the mark of 0.00 - 380 mm thick, above - 250 mm thick.

Walls can be made from other materials, for example, from concrete blocks, or made from monolithic expanded clay concrete. The outer surfaces of the walls in contact with the ground must be insulated by coating with hot bitumen (two to three times) or roofing material.

The ceiling is made of hollow reinforced concrete slabs of the PK63-15-8 type, on top of which a leveling screed is made. The ceiling is insulated with polystyrene foam boards 50-70 mm thick, which are laid on cold bituminous mastic. The insulation layer is covered with two or three layers of roofing material (hydroisol) on bituminous mastic with waterproofing of junctions with walls.

On top of the structure- clay castle with a layer of 10-15 cm, followed by bunding with soil taken out of the pit. Subsequently, ornamental grass can be sown at this place, a flower garden can be arranged, etc.

House under the protection of the earth

A modern underground house bears little resemblance to a bunker, cellar or dugout. It is beautiful, comfortable and environmentally friendly. The construction of such unusual housing is a bold experiment, but it is fully justified.

Underground houses look like a hill or a hole in a slope and look like an element of the natural landscape. The growing interest in dwellings whose walls and roofs are covered with earth, as a result of which they are often called "fox holes", is explained not only by the desire for originality and maximum unity with nature, but also by rational considerations - the desire to obtain economic benefits during construction and operation. Underground construction is accessible to everyone, and adherence to technology guarantees a high quality of the environment in the house. There is a wide choice of options for the depth of the structure in the ground: from completely underground to completely above ground, bunded with earth (bulk, fenced with berms - from German berme - an element of the slope of the embankment). The construction methods are also diverse, from simple, suitable for building a house with your own hands, to complex, based on avant-garde architectural and engineering ideas. Therefore, the houses are different - from low-budget buildings to luxurious underground villas.

Temperature underground

Ground temperature is an important factor in energy saving at home. The soil does not conduct heat well and accumulates it well (in a dry state, these qualities are approximately the same as those of a brick), therefore, temperature fluctuations occurring on the surface of the earth propagate in it slowly, reaching depths with a great delay. The measurements showed that at a depth of 2-3 m the warmest moment of the year comes 2-3 months later. The coldest soil is in spring. In the climatic conditions of Ukraine at a depth of 2 m in winter the temperature will be 6-8 °C, in summer - 15-18 °C.

Construction benefits

Living below the surface of the earth in the past was considered the lot of the poor. To dig a space in the ground for one or more rooms, no funds are required, enclosing structures can not be erected - they are the earth. However, the disadvantages of such a dwelling were dampness, lack of sunlight, difficulty in ventilation, so it could not be considered healthy and environmentally friendly.

The view of the house underground began to change in the late 60s of the last century. Over time, solutions have been developed to organize life in such facilities in accordance with healthy standards.

But this has affected the cost of housing: when using high-quality materials that are desirable for use in underground construction, it may turn out to be no less than a similar area located on the surface.

But on the right site, you can take full advantage of the unique benefits of land protection:

Energy saving. Since the earth does not conduct heat well and can be thick, such dwellings are characterized by a stable internal temperature: heat is well retained in winter, and air conditioning is not required in summer. In extreme climates with long, cold, windy winters and hot summers, maintaining a comfortable temperature will not be energy-intensive;

High sound insulation. The earth perfectly protects against sounds of any frequency, there will always be peace and quiet in the rooms. The penetration of sounds outside is also limited. Therefore, underground houses are comfortable in noisy areas, near highways;

Security. An underground house is safe in areas with increased seismic activity, is not afraid of hurricanes, and is protected from fires from the outside. It is difficult for thieves to enter the dwelling, since the number of places for penetration is limited. In the event of hostilities, the underground structure becomes a comfortable personal bomb shelter and provides reliable camouflage;

Landscape conservation. The natural landscape of the area will change minimally after the construction of the house, the area of ​​the green cover of the site, the ecological and aesthetic value of the place will be preserved; opportunity to build on disadvantages. Attractive but difficult to build slope, hilly area can be turned into an advantage and easy to master;

Reducing labor costs during construction. In rough terrain, you can reduce the amount of earthwork. Labor-intensive facade and roofing work will not be required. This will reduce the cost and time of building a house; minimum cost to maintain the building in safety. When using high-quality waterproofing, walls and roofs overgrown with grass will require maintenance only in terms of landscape design as part of the site.

A well-built underground house will have no drawbacks, except that the view of the area from the windows may be limited. However, its features and the cost of construction significantly depend on the natural conditions of the site. Sometimes it is advantageous to bury a house in the ground, in other cases it is rational to build it above the ground and bund it. An analysis of the site will show how complex and expensive measures will be needed during construction so that the house does not suffer from water penetration, soil shifts, and lack of lighting.

House on top of the hill

A convenient place for construction is at the top of the hill. The location at the highest point of the relief helps to protect the premises from water penetration as much as possible, orient them to any cardinal direction, provide excellent lighting and visibility from the windows. During construction, the upper part of the hill is torn off, and after the construction of the structures, they fall asleep again.

Site Requirements

To determine the feasibility of building an underground house, it is necessary to take into account the features of the site in the complex:

RELIEF. Preferably a relief with elevation changes - sloping or hilly. On such a site there is a place for harmonious placement of the house while saving on earthworks. In any building on a slope, a floor is formed, at least partially located underground, and its expansion and deepening will make all rooms underground. In a hilly area, a dwelling can be placed on a horizontal platform, while being partially built into one of the elevations of the relief, which will play the role of a natural dike of the walls. Therefore, most underground buildings are built on top of the terrain. Owners of a hilly site, difficult to build a standard house, should think about building underground housing.

It is also important that the slopes quickly drain surface water and the soil stays dry. An underground house should not be located in a lowland, ravine or thalweg, where water is collected from the surrounding area.

ORIENTATION. The southern orientation of the slope is ideal, providing sunlight to the premises for most of the day. The northern slope, although it will give coolness in a hot climate, is still unacceptable for an underground house from a hygienic point of view, since the rooms need insolation. In hot climates, east is a good orientation. On a flat site, you should also orient the entrance and windows to the sunny side.

PRIMING. It is best if the site contains soils that pass water well - sand, sandy loam and loam. They dry quickly and are suitable for natural and artificial embankment (which is performed with soil taken out of the pit). Clay is an unfavorable type of soil, as it retains moisture and erodes when wet. However, it can be used as an additional waterproofing lock in layers adjacent to the load-bearing underground structures of the house. Used as a top coat fertile layer soil, which is removed and stored during construction.

GROUND WATER LEVEL. The best will be the site on which groundwater occurs at great depths. This will allow you to lower the house as much as possible, build it into the terrain. A dwelling cannot be located below the groundwater level, and you should also make sure that there is no underground flow at the construction site - in these cases it is difficult to exclude water from entering the house. Modern technologies allow you to reliably protect yourself from moisture seepage through structures, however, the cost of work will be unreasonably high.

MICROCLIMATE. The drier the area, the better for building an underground house. A humid microclimate is contraindicated for him: to combat dampness, it will be necessary to increase ventilation, constantly monitor the condition of structures, which will cause costs and discomfort.

House types

There are two main types of houses protected by earth - underground and bunded. An underground building is a building that is wholly or mostly located below ground level. A bunded house can be located above ground level or partially below it, while the upper part of its walls and roofs are covered with soil. The earthen roof goes directly into the surface of the site (which distinguishes an underground dwelling from a ground dwelling with a green roof).

Each house protected by land is individual, but several common solutions can be distinguished depending on the appearance, location on the terrain, construction method.

1. HOUSE-Dugout. The traditional and simplest version of the underground house. The most suitable terrain for construction is with a slight slope or flat, and the building can also adjoin a hill. Above the surface of the earth, only a roof covered with soil is visible. With a rectangular plan, it is usually gable, but can be flat or vaulted. The entrance is arranged in the end wall, in front of which they make a pit with a canopy and steps leading down. Windows are built into the gables on the end walls, sometimes (for example, if the back end is adjacent to a hill) windows built into the roof in the form of skylights or lucarnes are used. The house can only be one-story (with a higher number of storeys, you get an ordinary building with a basement), its width usually does not exceed 6 m (this is determined by the possibilities of overlapping the span), and the length is arbitrary. The room can be divided into rooms, providing them with windows.

During the construction of a dugout, a foundation pit is torn off, walls are installed around its perimeter, protecting it from damp earth, as well as supporting structures for the roof, then they block the room and cover the roof with earth.

2. BONED HOUSE. An option suitable for any type of terrain - flat area, slope, hilly terrain. The house can be slightly buried, including completely ground or combining underground and bunded parts. For example, the ground one can be “attached” to a hill, which will serve as a natural fence for part of the walls, and the rest of the walls can be collapsed (this is economical, since the amount of excavation is reduced). It is possible to make a house of any shape in plan, multi-room, two-story, with windows oriented to several cardinal directions.

During the construction of a bunded house, walls and a roof are first erected in a pit of the required depth or on the surface of the earth. Enclosing structures must not only separate the premises from the ground, but also withstand the pressure of the ground. Then the building is covered with earth, leaving open vertical sections of the walls with windows and an entrance.

3. A HOUSE BUILT INTO A SLOPE. The parameters of such a dwelling depend on the steepness of the relief and the orientation of the slope. The steeper the slope, the greater the number of storeys can be.

Cheap, eco-friendly, fabulous… Do-it-yourself house

Illuminate living quarters usually from the side of the slope, while the light front of the house is desirable to make it as long as possible. During construction, as a rule, part of the slope is removed, the building structures are erected and the landscape is returned to its previous state. If the stability of the soil allows, it is possible to carry out construction work directly in the thickness of the earth.

When the site is located near the top of the hill, the house can be a through tunnel with exits to opposite sides of the slope, which will expand the possibilities of lighting and ventilation of the premises. It can be built by penetrating directly into the ground, or by removing and refilling the top of the relief.

Architecture and interior

The architectural appearance of underground and bunded houses differs significantly from ground ones.

In addition to green walls and roofs, many of them are characterized by plastic, streamlined forms of volumes. The structures that form them are often made of reinforced concrete, as it is able to withstand the high pressure created by the mass of soil and effectively protect against water.

There are also differences in layout. Houses built into a slope often have an extended plan with a small depth of rooms - up to 6 m. Deeper underground, you can place rooms that do not require daylight (bathrooms, pantries), but their area will be small. Underground construction is characterized by the use of skylights, as well as light guides equipped with mirrors that launch the sun's rays deep into the earth. External walls are sometimes fully glazed. Big windows, oriented to the south, help not only to better illuminate the house, but also to accumulate heat. In order to improve lighting in the interior, translucent partitions are sometimes used to separate rooms, surfaces are painted in light colors.

Bundled houses can have quite a traditional plan. But there is another possibility - the rooms can be made not adjacent to each other, but connected by corridors (“underground passages”), which will increase the resemblance of the house to a “fox hole”. This is important if you need to isolate the premises as much as possible. In addition, interior details (tables, benches, etc.) can be formed from the soil, finishing their surface with tiles, wood or other material, depending on the style of the interior.

Construction rules

When constructing underground and bunded houses, moisture-resistant materials should be preferred. Ceramics, impregnated wood can be used, monolithic is a suitable material reinforced concrete. Aerated concrete, which absorbs moisture abundantly, should not be used. It is important to use high-quality waterproofing (the material depends on the specific conditions and construction technology). The embankment of the building is carried out with soil selected from the pit. To cover the elevated house, you will need to bring a large amount of soil to the site.

The simplest and most common technology involves the construction of a house (both underground and bunded) open way. They tear off a foundation pit of the required depth and shape, 0.5-1 m in size more than the dimensions of the building. Along the perimeter of the walls that make up the shell of the house, a shallow foundation is made (its capacity depends on the size of the building, the design and material of the walls, the planned thickness of the soil layer). The walls are made of bricks, wooden logs, concrete blocks, monolithic concrete. They can be thinner than those of a ground-based house, but when bunded, they must withstand the pressure of the earth (half a brick or up to 10 cm of concrete). The supporting structure of the roof can be mounted in the form of a truss system with a frequent arrangement of rafters (for increased strength) and a plank run. With brick or concrete walls, it is worth doing a monolithic reinforced concrete floor and to give the ceiling, which will become the roof of the house, the vaulted form most effective in supporting the mass of the earth.

The outer part of the shell of the house and the floor are waterproofed with a continuous contour. Thermal insulation is not required if the thickness of the soil layer protecting the building is more than 1 m. As a rule, soil is laid in a smaller layer in the roof area, so additional insulation has to be arranged in the upper part of the house (preferably with extruded polystyrene foam, resistant to interaction with wet ground). The floors are laid on the ground, as in an ordinary house, successively laying waterproofing, insulation, screed and topcoat.

To divert water from the walls, it is necessary to organize drainage. Drainage ditches are located along the perimeter of the building (on the slope, paying special attention to the area above the house) and diverted to the area below the house. A drainage layer is also required in the thickness of the soil covering the house. It helps reduce water pressure on underground structures.

More complex technology - construction in a closed way- used for the construction of underground houses on a steep slope. It involves the creation of a cavity in the thickness of the earth and the work is carried out completely underground and requires the participation of specialists with experience in underground construction, the use of special equipment, and the creation of a structure that strengthens the soil.

Engineering

The energy and water supply systems of the bunded and underground houses are the same as in the ground. There are differences in the ventilation device. The vapor impermeability of the walls and the risk of dampness should be taken into account (especially if there were errors in the waterproofing - for example, the material turned out to be fragile and cracks formed). Therefore, both in bunded and underground houses (especially those oriented only to one side of the world and devoid of through ventilation), it is necessary to provide forced forced supply and exhaust ventilation. The exhaust pipe holes are located under the ceiling, raising the pipe above the roof (if the house is large, there may be several of them). The inflow is made through special holes left in the entrance area at a height of half a meter from the floor. The volume of air exchange and the section of the holes must be calculated by a specialist, and the first indicator is increased if appliances with an open flame, such as a stove, are used in the house. Fans are installed not only for exhaust, but also on supply openings, providing forced air flow. The exhaust and inflow must be equipped with dampers to regulate air exchange. It is also desirable that the windows can be opened. They will provide additional air flow, and when placed in the upper part of the house, for example, on the roof, they will also provide an exhaust hood.

In an underground house, it is better to use electric heating and water heating systems, it is advantageous to equip the house with solar collectors. Solid fuel stoves and boilers are also possible (however, they increase the load on ventilation system). The use of gas is dangerous.

When an underground recessed house is located on a flat terrain, difficulties may arise with the sewerage device. If the formation of effluents occurs at a depth, it is not always possible to organize their gravity flow to the place of accumulation and the use of a pump will be required. It is desirable to avoid such a situation, since it makes residents seriously dependent on the supply of electricity.

Therefore, the issue of sewerage should be taken into account when determining the level of penetration of the house. It should be deepened only to a level that allows the sewerage to be arranged by gravity.

The choice of waterproofing

The choice of waterproofing device depends on a number of factors:

Wall and roof material. When using stone materials, coating, roll, plaster waterproofing is used. For concrete, penetrating (injection) waterproofing is the most effective, creating an impenetrable barrier for water inside the wall.

Soil moisture. With dry soils, painting with two layers of hot bitumen is sufficient; with wet soils, it is better to use rolled materials in several layers (their number should be the greater, the higher the water pressure on the surface).

Mechanical effects on waterproofing. In the presence of shear forces (for example, on inclined surfaces), bituminous and synthetic waterproofing materials, which are characterized by creep, should not be used. For walls experiencing shear, tensile or high compressive stresses, as well as seismic loads, plaster waterproofing is the most reliable.

Ground coating device

The comfort and durability of an underground house largely depends on a properly executed multilayer system of soil, which is actually its final building envelope.

The bearing horizontal part of the house (floor slab, roof) must have a slope to avoid water stagnation in the soil and its further wetting. For guard inner space dwellings and structures from hypothermia arrange thermal insulation, and then - waterproofing, which has a long service life (20-50 years) and high strength. A drainage layer is placed on top (of expanded clay, fine gravel, coarse sand) and protected from erosion by filter material (geotextile). With large slopes, it is convenient to use special synthetic mats or profiled membranes for drainage.

The soil above the house is poured with a layer of at least 30 cm, which is enough for a lawn and a flower garden. On inclined surfaces, overgrown roots will reliably hold the soil, but in order to immediately prevent it from slipping, a rolled lawn is usually used, and with slopes of more than 45 °, the surface is reinforced with a special mesh. The more massive the soil layer, the larger plants can be planted, but you should always choose specimens with a superficial rather than tap root system.

It is also important to consider the irrigation system.

Fox hole (mounded house, dugout)

The design and construction of underground dwellings is currently developing rapidly, as one of the ways to reduce the dependence of residential buildings on a continuous supply of fuel. Previously, it was believed that the mention of the possibility of building underground or buried dwellings could, due to a negative psychological reaction, cause a negative attitude towards any other such ideas.

Indeed, man has always turned to the earth to protect himself from the effects of adverse and extreme climatic conditions. Only a historically short era of affordable and cheap fuel has allowed us to build climate-independent homes and supply those homes with the energy we need to create comfortable conditions. Now that fossil fuels are dwindling and prices are rising rapidly, it's time to re-evaluate the possibilities that land offers us.

We collect information on the site about the construction of fox holes, dugouts.

• Cellars and cellars: how to build

  Outside the city, you can’t do without a cellar and a basement. Especially if you have your own garden and orchard (and it is almost always on the site). I would like to save vegetables, pickles, and apples for the winter ... A good basement (cellar) is very important, and therefore its construction must be approached wisely.

  Everyone who is faced with the problem of long-term storage of a large amount of fresh fruits and vegetables needs to build a cellar.

  Methods for storing fruits and vegetables outside the home: in earthen pits, heaps, ice storages, cellars various types, etc.

• bunded house

  The exceptionally hot summer of 2010 caused a lot of trouble for the Russians. From the heat there was simply nowhere to go. Personally, I escaped in the basement of my own house, where the temperature was quite comfortable, which allowed me to sleep normally in a pleasant coolness. True, you will not live in the basement. Thoughts involuntarily came - how to combine this comfortable temperature regime semi-basement, which is cool in summer and warm in winter, with the usual convenience of natural lighting in an ordinary house. Here, by the way, I recalled the project of the bunded house Fox hole B. Novoselov (House No. 10, 1999). The most significant disadvantages of this project are the lack of natural light and the need to ensure high-quality waterproofing of the house. Both that, and another, it is rather difficult to make the offered methods. Slightly changing the indicated design and applying modern materials succeeded in solving these problems.

  Note that this is just a project, but I also used mine. personal experience when choosing some design solutions.

• Photo of the house and the interior of the fox hole

  Photo sent by Dmitry Dorogov.

• Two solutions to the fox hole

  We will illustrate the design solutions for bunded buildings with two examples. These buildings are simple and economical. They can be compared to well-made, carefully insulated ordinary buildings, although they cannot be considered perfect. The given examples of solutions should not be considered as optimal. Attention is drawn to the three main features of the projects, which consider: firstly, architectural and planning solutions; secondly, questions of energy conservation; thirdly, economic characteristics according to local designers. Issues of capital and operating costs are of paramount importance for the construction of buried dwellings.

• Bunkers

  The Great Soviet Encyclopedia says that a bunker is a shelter in German military terminology. In ours - a container for storage. And when you see a modern American-style bunker, you start to get lost in terms.

  Company: U.S. Bunkers ("American bunkers"). Location: Miami, Florida. Business line: "manufacture of portable, aerodynamic, monolithic concrete structures for the sole purpose of protecting and saving lives."

  hobbit house

  Description: "You must see this."

• sod roof

  Sod roof photo, Norway. The technology is as follows: galvanized sheets, a grid on top of them (to prevent soil from rolling), then the upper fertile layer (torn from the ground) or simply bulk land, which is sown with anything.

• Fox hole in the Altai Territory

  This building I built this summer in the suburbs of Barnaul, Altai Territory.

  I haven’t finished the interior yet, so I would like to know the latest developments in ventilation and heating.

  I also want to make a sod roof (now I have a roofing material there).

  I would like to communicate with like-minded people.

• Fox holes around the world

• Earth houses by Peter Vetsch

  Information about this site (photos from which are presented below) was sent to us by Marina Zheleznaya.

  Very interesting projects of earthen houses. Some of the photos are in the photo gallery below.

  All of them are located in Switzerland and some - in Germany.

• Dugout and the problem of spring flood

  The most serious test for the dugouts was the spring flood. They did not pass this test - they were flooded. The presence of a slope and drainage did not guarantee the dryness of the dugouts. The conclusion is simple, to correct the situation, you need to make drainage to the depth of a dug pit or raise an earthen floor. Neither the slope nor the pit under the pond saved the dugout from flooding. I had to raise the floor to ground level. At the moment it is a "roof on the ground".

What is a traditional house made of?
A solid solid foundation is the basis of any house that is built to last for centuries. Then basement, walls, ceilings, roof. A few auxiliary little things, such as: water drain trays, drain pipes, gables, hems, light and ventilation windows, blind area, window trims, etc., which, by the way, requires far from small costs, money and time, periodic repair. In regions with a large snow cover in the spring, the problem of snow avalanches coming off the roofs or pushing them through from the weight of the snow is added. And the roof itself is an expensive pleasure. Good, made of galvanized iron or glazed tiles, not everyone can afford.

And what do we have in the fox hole?
Just walls and ceilings that themselves serve as a roof. Note that the walls are much thinner, since they only serve as a deterrent from shedding the earth (with a bunding thickness of one and a half meters, there is no need to worry about heat capacity: up to the seventieth parallel, they can practically withstand any frost). Roof waterproofing can be made of ordinary roofing material in 2 layers (the cheapest material), but it can be done without it if you have a good clay castle (from well-mixed clay) 15-20 cm thick or birch bark that does not rot in the ground for hundreds of years and does not it is afraid of fires, while keeping heat very well (yes, yes, this is not a typo: there are such old technologies).

A layer of earth on the roof with a thickness of one meter a year after laying is not able to wet any downpour. Snow waters come off more evenly, and the ground under the snow is always a little frozen, which perfectly restrains the penetration of water into the depths. Lower ice crusts are not formed, which means there is no likelihood of an avalanche coming down (and there is practically nowhere to go). All that is needed is good diversion ditches around the entire building with a slope to one side, sown with good grass (instead of concrete, iron or other trays), for example, bent grass, wheatgrass, etc. Foundations are also not needed or are needed purely symbolically for supports, since there is nothing to freeze through, and therefore, there is no swelling of the soil. And if this house is made of red baked brick with walls half a brick thick, concrete reinforced with mesh, branches, etc. 5-7 cm thick, from boards with load-bearing beams of an arched structure (see Fig. 7), then it is able to endure enormous loads (bridges are examples of this).

Interior decoration is like a regular house, although there are many ways to save money and time, not counting durability. For example, floors that can be left earthen by covering them with mats (a rug made of natural material). Or lay it out of tiles, laying it on a screed of light and warm concrete (there are some) or make it from wood, putting it on small spacers, or the same concrete on the principle of "floating parquet". In any case, this does not require floor slabs or massive wooden transfers.

Now, for greater clarity and convenience, we will display the above in a table, with the help of which any person who knows arithmetic can calculate the cost of both types of houses, substituting the data on the cost of building materials and transport costs in your area.

So let's look at building one-story house brick per 100 sq. meters, since the savings of a multi-storey building are only apparent. In multi-storey construction, there is savings due to the arrangement of roofs and walls, but they often forget that they need areas for flights of stairs, the use of lifting mechanisms, the construction of a large number of additional scaffolding and stairs, safety devices when working at height, wind loads on the roof and walls, blowing heat and arrangement of drainage structures (trays, gutters).

The savings in foundation costs are also insignificant, since more load per 1 sq. m. is created on a certain area. meter of the foundation, which leads to an increase in the thickness and depth of its foundation.

The savings in building area are almost completely absorbed by the shadow created by the building (see Fig. 2). House 10 * 10 m, wall height at least 3 m. total area the walls are 120 sq.m. From them we subtract the area window openings(the standard for illumination, the area of ​​windows is 1/8 of the floor area. In our case, 12.5 sq. m). As well as the area of ​​​​doorways (in our case - 2.9 sq.m). Total: the area of ​​​​the walls is 84.6 sq.m.

The construction of the "Fox Hole" can be carried out simultaneously with the embankment, which will facilitate the transport of building materials to the place of their laying and relieve the construction of many auxiliary scaffolding.